Millwall’s Mahlon Romeo on target of increasings goals and assists + enjoying Gary Rowett’s management
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
Mahlon Romeo is confident he can keep on improving under Gary Rowett – but admits adding goals and assists to his game isn’t a simple thing to do.
The Millwall full-back has played every minute since Rowett was appointed manager at the end of October.
Romeo, 24, made his 100th Championship appearance in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Wigan and recently went past 150 Football League appearances for the Lions, who he joined after being released by Gillingham in 2015.
So does he feel this has been his best campaign – on an individual level – for the South London club?
“That’s a tough one,” responded Romeo. “I haven’t actually thought about that. I’ll have to reflect on it at the end of the season.
“Just playing under the new gaffer, he is getting different things out of me – more positive things. If I can fine tune certain things then I feel, with the chemistry we’ve got, I’ll be able to kick on.”
Romeo has scored three goals in 169 outings for the Lions.
His last time on the scoresheet was a 3-1 win over Sheffield United in February 2017.
Asked how easy it will be to meet Rowett’s challenge of chipping in with goals and setting them up for team-mates, Romeo replied: “Not very – otherwise I’d do it every week!
“But it’s something I feel will come, for sure, under this manager.”
Romeo, one of the longest serving players on Millwall’s books, has hit a couple of appearance milestones of late but did not know about them.
“I’m not into that at all,” he said. “It’s nice to say you’ve played however many games in the Championship or however many games for Millwall – but it’s not something I look into.”
Romeo admits there is far less stress for the Lions in this run-in after a grim scrap to stay up in the previous campaign.
“It can be hard to switch off away from games if you’re in a position where you’re near the bottom,” he said. “It will linger on your mind, definitely.
“Where we were expected to be this season compared to where we are now – with a chance of getting in the play-offs – means that we’re in a good place.
“A lot of credit goes to the gaffer. He’s changed a lot of things. He’s brought his style and his way in, not just to matches but in training. He has come in and knows how we are as a team and as people. That’s worked really well.”