Millwall boss pays no attention to social media – and wants his players to do same as they chase Championship play-off place

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Millwall head coach Alex Neil is urging his players to shun social media platforms as they bid to crank up their Championship play-off credentials.

The Lions head to Blackburn Rovers tomorrow afternoon just three points adrift of the top-six and with four victories in their last five matches.

No Championship club has won as many matches as Millwall – nine – since former Preston, Norwich and Sunderland boss Neil was appointed as Neil Harris’ successor at the end of December.

The Scot has been receiving plenty of praise on social media but has made it clear that he has no access to it. More to the point, he actively avoids it.

Neil told the South London Press: “I know how football works. If you win games, everybody thinks you’re the second coming. If you don’t win games, then people don’t want or like you. That’s just the nature of how things are on that type of platform.

“I dissuade the players from getting involved in those types of things, because I don’t think it helps.

“If you were to tell me after Friday that we’ve lost to Blackburn, I’ll have a rough idea of what’s going to be said.

“If we win the game, I’ll have a rough idea too. It’s not necessary for me to look. Why would I care?

“If I’m being brutally honest, you don’t know any of these people who are writing stuff. I’m not interested.”

Camiel Neghli’s first goal since a club-record move from Sparta Rotterdam in January sealed victory over Middlesbrough on Saturday.

But the attacker, 23, suffered a hamstring injury which is set to see him miss the remainder of the season.

Asked about the statistic of Millwall leading the way for Championship victories since Neil took charge, the Scot replied: “Until you mentioned it, I wasn’t aware of it. It’s not something I think about.

“At the end of the day, you can win games and momentum is good. When things are going well, there’s a good feeling. I’ve been in the game long enough where you can lose the next three games and all of a sudden the momentum swings.

“I don’t think about it. I just think about beating Blackburn, so we’re in a better position.”

Millwall could welcome back Ra’ess Bangura-Williams, Aaron Connolly and Chelsea loanee Zak Sturge for the fixture at Ewood Park.

Former Tottenham centre-back Japhet Tanganga has missed the past two matches due to a broken bone in his hand.

“Japh’s return will be determined by the surgeon,” said Neil.

“We’re going to have a look at getting a splint on it.

“He won’t make Blackburn, I don’t believe, but he may be in contention for Norwich, depending on what the surgeon says and how comfortable Japh is and keeping that area protected.”

Millwall are likely to need to win all of their remaining matches to stand a chance of the play-offs – but they have not managed to get three points at Blackburn since March 2013, when Danny Shittu scored in an FA Cup tie.

Rovers took four points off the South Londoners last season and it is impossible to forget the crushing 4-3 loss on the final day of the 2022-23 campaign – after the Lions led 3-1 at half-time – which prevented them finishing in the top six.

“I don’t think anybody will be underestimating Blackburn after what happened before,” said Neil.

“Every game in this league is difficult. It doesn’t matter who or where you play.

“Everybody is fighting for different things. Blackburn might look at it and think there is nothing at stake – that it’s a game where they can express themselves and show what they can do – that sometimes frees teams up and they perform better.

“ I’m sure they will be trying to end the season well.

“It’s going to be a tough match – but they all are.”

Neil admitted after the victory at the weekend that Millwall’s need for maximum points from matches had seen him risk the likes of Neghli and Femi Azeez, back in the squad after being sidelined with injuries.

Neghli had been missing since the start of March with an ankle injury sustained in the FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace.

“I’m hopeful he will be back for pre-season,” said Neil. “With any injury and when you’re coming back from it, it will be determined by the process of coming back – the rehab and how that goes – making sure there is no setback in that.

“We’re frustrated we haven’t had Camiel available. We sold Rom (Esse) and we have been missing Camiel for a large part of that.

“For how well the team has done -for how many players we have had missing and for how long they have been missing – it speaks volumes for how well the squad has done, individually and collectively.

“That (Neghli’s goal against Boro) is what we were bringing in – that technical quality in the final third that can create and score goals.

“With those types of players it doesn’t mean they are going to beat three players every time they get the ball. What it means is that when there is a moment in the game, they have got that level of quality and that composure where they can calm themselves and tuck it away.

“Ultimately that was the deciding factor for us.”

PICTURES: BRIAN TONKS