Hardly Millwall promotion push continues in the crunch London Derby with Fulham, live on Sky Sports on Friday. Before the game, head coach Neil Harris explains why team building is connected to the club’s fans was key to their play-offs charge.
“There must be a connection between the terraces and the pitch. We’ve certainly got that at the moment. The fans are happy. They can see in the team they can identify with. And that’s what football fans want.”
There will be a few managers in England, is revered by supporters for his team to the extent that Neil Harris at Millwall. The record-scorer of the club as a player, Harris brought Millwall into the play-offs places as a coach. He can’t do anything wrong.
But perhaps this understanding of the Harris requirements of fans wrought by 15 years as a player, coach and Manager in Millwall – what is the basis of success on the field and in the dugout in South London.
Millwall vs Fulham
April 20, 2018, 7:00 PM
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During his playing days with Millwall, Harris, full throttle, but the talented striker was in the center of the two campaigns in the League in 2001 and 2010, which is sandwiched in the FA Cup final in 2004. The similarities between these parties and the current one he created as the feeder is easy to see: direct, aggressive football; dominance; and obvious team spirit.
Indeed, Harris is Millwall from 2017/18 play in a style almost unique among the leading clubs in the championship (they made 10,000 passes less than Friday’s opponents Fulham). They have not lost since early November. And recently sky sports news captured the idea of camaraderie in the camp on a weekly trip command at the local Turkish restaurant.
Speaking with Harris on a modest training base Millwall, he insists that it is not by accident. Personality matters to him.
“It’s the fans of the club,” he tells sky sports. “We are just part of your journey. They pay their money and they want to entertain in style, they want to be entertained V. Millwall about vanity, aggression, victory… we should do it. And it’s up to me to put in players with the right ability and the right character to do it.
“The day I started work in my first interview, I said that fans should be proud of his team. I think each club is determined by its fans and what they expect. There may be a few exceptions in each level that move the money that is invested, but most of the clubs and Millwall in particular – is not driven by the fans.
“Not to shirk a challenge, go through the wall… this is due to fans who want to see the players, what they would do if they were on the field. That would not be drawn out of the solution, be aggressive in your body language.
“The unity between the players is key too. Look at “Manchester United” team at the end of the Millennium and how close they were and how close they still. Good teams Millwall I played, we didn’t have that. In 2001, in 2004 for Cup and of course in 2010 when we won promotion. They were built on team spirit.
“As the leader at the time, I was part of it, and I believe it. I don’t think this necessarily means that you are going to win the League or win promotion or even finish in the TOP 10. But that means you’ll get good standards, you get discipline and you will get unity. That will lead you to a certain level of success.
“The similarities from the standpoint of the successful teams I was part of we had. We had the same thing. But we have to remember these teams are also good players, and we are no different now. We have good players”.
Millwall players will talk about how in the night of Thursday trip to South London Turkish restaurant helps to maintain their unbeaten form and hope to get into the playoffs.
Really, it’s more than just a hobby that takes the team this far. And just three games of the regular cycle of the championship remaining pre-season relegation favourites Millwall, working with one of the smallest budgets in the division, are on the verge of one of the most incredible achievements.
From strong defense, the third-best figure in the League of creative talent in midfield, jed Wallace and Jan the borrower Ben Marshall, and the tone-setting front two Lee Gregory and captain Steve Morison, they are strong all over the Park.
It is a Testament to the work of Harris in 2015, when he led the team before the almost inevitable relegation from this division, leading them to promotion from League one last season.
Mick McCarthy departing Ipswich, Harris is now longer the Manager in the championship and has already managed to create your squad first senior team he managed.
“As a player and friend, I am very proud of them and see how it’s evolved,” Tim Cahill, Harris, a former teammate, who joined Millwall in January, told Sky Sports when asked to evaluate his Manager. “He understands players and tactics, and understands that his job is to get players in the locker room.
“This is what I get the most joy of returning and seeing how the club looks after people who genuinely love the club. It was great for him. He gathered that, it seems, can be special.”
Some of these skills were picked up from the end ray Wilkins, who coached Harris as assistant Manager of Millwall during the FA Cup in 2004. “It was for me to work with him-a privilege, I have learned so much,” said Harris.
“He was not trained for aggression in his voice, but his personality and the respect he carried. He coached the demonstration, in 99 cases out of 100, putting the ball exactly where it needs to go, and then turning around and saying ‘do you want me to do it with my left foot, huh?’ He was phenomenal.
“He was great company. Although I always shave on match days, because I knew that if I didn’t And ray was in the game, I’ll call you tonight!”
Millwall chief Executive Steve Kavanagh insists the Lions boss Harris is under pressure to deliver in the playoffs this season.
These standards are something he also expects from his players believing that anything other than maximum commitment will see Millwall are not able to match their more expensive rivals collected.
“We know that we can’t financially compete with the big clubs with lots of resources and not moan about it because we are” – he said. “So we have to find other ways.
“What could be players with something to prove, which gives them an additional advantage. But what I do demand are the standards of timing, appearance, respect each other, buildings, personnel and training we put on. If they are not to abandon their standards, we can’t compete at this level.
“I believe that if you train in the correct order, you play in the correct order. I love time, family time and their time together, having dinner together. But if we’re going to do this, we must ensure the right balance between learning and free time. When we train we train, and when we go, it’s their time. I don’t want to see them, and they certainly don’t want to see me.”
Key sky Bet championship match between Sheffield United and Millwall.
These powerful bursts reaped rewards so far and, as the Day of the defeat of the New year in Norwich, Millwall have gone 17 games unbeaten in the League. Momentum picked up speed and saw the club surge into the top six.
It will be three games that decide their playoff prospects, however, with a trio of promotion rivals at the bottom of the list fixture Millwall: Fulham, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa.
Someone 0 is likely to go, when Millwall host Fulham this Friday. Visitors to West London and the den are 21 without loss and compete for first place. But Harris and his side will relish the test and with the game sold out they will be backed up all the way to the house.
“At the moment,” says Harris, “no one wants to play Millwall and credit how far this club.”
Watch Millwall Fulham live on Sky Sports HD from 7pm on Friday.
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