Millwall boss Harris reacts to Crystal Palace transfer link to top EFL prospect Romain Esse

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Millwall head coach Neil Harris is ignoring speculation over Romain Esse’s future.

Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman was at the Lions’ 1-0 win over Plymouth last week in which the 19-year-old England Elite international scored his fourth goal of the season.

Esse signed a new contract with Millwall in August but there is understood to be an eight-figure release clause.

His previous deal was due to expire next summer and would have meant only compensation being paid if fresh terms had not been agreed.

Freedman was also in the crowd for Millwall’s 1-0 loss to Luton in SE16 in September.

A press report last weekend claimed Palace are weighing up a January move for Esse.

“Every young player who breaks through into a first-team and plays regularly is going to be linked away,” Harris told the South London Press.

“Rom is a very, very good human being and excellent professional. He is playing extremely well for us at the moment. He is in a very good place and his form is very, very good.

“The speculation is certainly not going to affect Rom and it is not going to affect me and my thought process – in terms of what the team looks like and how Rom fits into it.

“I see it as a real positive. If there is speculation around Rom, people are writing about him in the tabloids or talking about him down the pub then brilliant – because he is doing well.

“If he is doing well it means he is affecting my first team, which is the position we want to be in.”

Harris replied “no comment” when asked if there is a release trigger in Esse’s contract but the reality is that they are increasingly commonplace in the modern game.

Palace had their own scenario where they were powerless to prevent Michael Olise opting to join Bayern Munich in July because he was able to join a club competing in the Champions League if they paid in the region of £55m.

Asked if he expected to still have Esse beyond the next window, Harris said: “I love working with him. Who knows in football? I know it’s a topic for the pub and forums but I can’t control things like speculation around players, so I don’t overthink it.

“My job is to develop players and help us win games of football. At the moment we have got ourselves in a very strong position and I want to keep improving and also keep helping someone like Rom to develop. What will be, will be with him.”

Only Championship leaders Sunderland (13) and Leeds United (12) can better Millwall’s points return (11) over the last six matches.

Back-to-back wins over Plymouth Argyle and Swansea City have pushed the South Londoners to 10th in the table and just three points behind Blackburn in sixth.

Next up is a home game against second-placed Burnley on Sunday and then Leeds at The Den on Wednesday.

“I can’t wait for those games – Burnley, Leeds and Sunderland are our next three home matches,” said Harris. “It is brilliant for our football club. We are in a good place as a group.

“The culture at the training ground is immense, the mentality of the players is admirable and the fans are turning up knowing they aren’t going to see the best team in the Championship play, but they will see one they can identify with as a Millwall team.

“We want to improve but the hardest part for this football club in my time, during Gary Rowett’s time and probably with Joe [Edwards], in a shorter sample size, is to be the best of both. Trying to be a Millwall team that is really difficult to beat, horrible to play against, a proper aggressive side – but then try to play with some real flair and freedom. It’s a really tough balance.

“At the start of the season we played with flair and quality and we kept getting beaten! In the last couple we have not been quite as good with the ball but been tough to play against and won games.

“The job is to find the middle ground. The league table doesn’t lie after 12 games and the form guide shows a smaller sample of where teams are at. So for us to be in the top half of the league – and third in the form guide over six games – is a huge positive.

“Credit to the players, because it has been pretty much the same group that has appeared for us, because of the injuries we’ve had.

“It is something for us to build on and keep pushing along.”