Millwall boss on what will shape expectations ahead of ‘very competitive’ Championship season.

ALEX Neil believes Millwall’s success in the upcoming season will be determined by their summer recruitment, and the head coach warns that the Championship will be “very competitive.”

Millwall narrowly missed out on the play-offs only four months after Neil was appointed Lions manager, finishing two points behind the top six following a final-day loss at Burnley.

 

The Lions had put themselves in contention by winning eight of their previous twelve games, including victories away at third-placed Sheffield United and at home against fellow play-off contenders Middlesbrough and Norwich City.

When asked if he thought Millwall were ahead of schedule or could improve further in the coming season, Neil said last Thursday, June 5: “Next season will be a big factor in letting us know whether it was the first or second option that you just gave me there.

 

“The club has always competed in the middle to top half of the table, and I felt last year was a year when, speaking with the players, they truly believed we could get there.” Unfortunately, I believe our run came one or two games too late. So, in that sense, I believe next year will be an exciting year for us.

“Regardless of how next year goes, I believe it is a very exciting time to be a Millwall fan. We have a lot of talented young players coming through. We have a lot of assets on the way. Jimmy is completely committed to the club and wants to support the team and make us stronger heading into the season.

 

“Everything is aligned with how the club is currently operating. Everyone understands exactly what we’re trying to achieve. It’s a fantastic club to be a part of.

“Obviously, we have hope for next year. Improvements are probably the most important thing you look for in any team, whether it’s in terms of infrastructure, on the pitch, style, players, or bringing in more assets and younger ones. We want to achieve a wide range of goals and improve things.

“I believe that, as with any window, you should exit in a stronger position than when you entered. The window has a long time left. That is not me pre-empting anything because nothing has happened at this point. Everything is just speculation. Everything is just paper talk. Everyone is flinging links around, and this one is moving here, while that one is moving there. It is likely that 50% of that will never come to fruition or happen. People are probably talking too much.

“However, it will depend on how we exit the window. Certainly, with the squad that we finished with and the injuries that we carried, I believe we finished eighth last year.

“I expect the league to be more competitive this year than it was last year. I believe the up-and-coming teams are especially strong because they have strong support and are a large club. I believe the teams that are coming down are arguably, if not more, talented than those that came down the previous season. Next year’s league will be extremely competitive, as evidenced by the fact that many teams have already changed coaches. I’ve been at Millwall for four months and am probably the league’s tenth-longest-serving manager.

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