Millwall midfielder not writing off Cardiff City’s threat despite fresh managerial upheaval

Callum Styles is reading nothing into Cardiff City’s managerial turmoil ahead of Millwall’s visit to South Wales on Saturday.

The Bluebirds sacked Mark Hudson after their 1-1 draw at the weekend against fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic. The former Crystal Palace and Charlton defender had only been in the post for four months.

City are looking for their third boss of the campaign.

Dean Whitehead, in interim charge for their 5-2 FA Cup defeat to Leeds on Wednesday, is expecting to take the team again this weekend.

“It’s the Championship – you can’t write anyone off – even if they are down there,” Styles told the South London Press. “Cardiff are a big team and it’s quite a good place to go.

“That [not having a manager] could turn either way for them. They could bounce back with a new manager or keep rotting away. We need to go there with a positive mindset and take the game to them.

“On Saturday we might’ve given Middlesbrough a little bit too much respect in the first half. Against Cardiff we can’t do that. We have to go there with our own gameplan and take the game to them, not let them dictate.

“Middlesbrough are a good team, that’s a little setback. The Championship is so tight and this season it is tighter than ever. A lot of teams are trying to push for the play-offs. We’re in and around it, I believe we can get to where we want to get to. We just need to stick together as a group and make sure we’re solid at home – make it a fortress like we have been doing – and pick up results away. If we do that there is no reason we can’t get where we want to.”

Styles had a chance for Millwall to break four against one in the second period at The Riverside, only for the ball to squirt off the back of his heel, abruptly ending their attack just as the quartet surged into the Boro half.

“I don’t know what’s happened,” he said.

“I’ve nicked the ball and taken a couple of touches – then somehow it has moved and hit my heel. I’m like, what? I saw a TikTok taking the p***. You’ve got to laugh about it sometimes, because it is gone – what can you do about it now? That type of stuff happens. I was so confused and angry at the time.

“I saw it on Middlesbrough’s TikTok. I’d like to get my revenge but we’ve played them twice already.”