‘No need for bawling’ – Millwall boss Neil has promotion pedigree and intent on using his past experiences
Alex Neil has admitted the knowledge gained in his managerial career helps when it comes to Millwall’s attempts to gatecrash the Championship play-offs.
The Lions defeated Middlesbrough 1-0 at The Den yesterday to keep alive hopes of a top-six finish – Camiel Neghli with his first goal since a January transfer from Sparta Rotterdam.
Neil, appointed Neil Harris’ successor at the end of December, has won promotion to the Premier League while boss at Norwich City. He also took Sunderland out of League One as well as Scottish First Division success at Hamilton Academicals, his first managerial posting.
The Scot – asked about how his previous success can help Millwall now – said: “As I’m getting older and more experienced as a manager, I just feel like I’ve came across these scenarios so many times before. Understanding when to make a change, understanding when to go after players and when to calm it down.
“People would probably think I went in (at half-time) and started shouting and bawling at them. I went in and said: ‘Lads, we should be buzzing because right now it is 0-0. What we have got is 45 minutes to try and fix the game’. So nobody got shouted at because partly it was my fault (because of changing his tactical approach and not having two strikers starting).
“From that perspective we win and lose as a team. Don’t get me wrong, if I felt there was a lack of effort then I wouldn’t be shy in letting them know. But from this group, that would be a very rare day for that to happen.”
Millwall were not fancied for a play-off finish before the season started and it is only in recent weeks that their form has opened up the possibility.
“That has been the mindset from the get-go though – we want to play with no fear,” said Neil. “There is nothing to be scared of. The worst thing that can happen is you don’t play well and you lose a game. It happens. I’ve been there as a player and as a coach. I think we’ve only got something to gain and that has been our approach every game.
“Even Watford when we didn’t play well first half but won the second half – today we didn’t play well first half and won the second half. My job and the players’ job is to make sure that isn’t a consistent thing, that we don’t play well and we don’t win.
“We want to make sure that even if we don’t play well we still somehow try and find a way to get a result out of the match. That is what the best teams do – they don’t have to play brilliantly to win every game.”