Prepare for the worst
By Jr
August 22 2005
Lack of preparation could be endemic at Millwall Football Club it seems. Even experienced managers like Colin Lee are affected by it, as we paid a heavy price in terms of goals against for going to Reading without goalkeeping cover.
By Jr
August 22 2005
Lack of preparation could be endemic at Millwall Football Club it seems. Even experienced managers like Colin Lee are affected by it, as we paid a heavy price in terms of goals against for going to Reading without goalkeeping cover.
At the risk of stating the obvious, this season is going from bad to worse for Millwall. The 5-0 demolition at Reading showed up some of the problems of operating on a shoe string.
The unceremonious sacking of player-boss Steve Claridge is looking more and more ludicrous by the day, as surely the Lions legend would have known more about the squad than Colin Lee - who’s still learning the players’ names!
It’s always a risk playing without a goalkeeper on the bench and, at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday, Millwall found out first hand what happens if you’re not prepared for all eventualities.
Claridge had rookie keeper Tony Crowther on the bench against Gillingham, and presumably he would have done the same at Reading.
How ironic that Claridge has now got a playing contract at Gillingham, the club he made he made his last Millwall appearance against!
It may have been a good managerial team with Lee installed as assistant boss, as the former Wolves boss does have an excellent reputation as a coach – which according to some attributed players’ quotes may not have been Claridge’s forte.
Meanwhile, Millwall reap the dubious rewards of self-inflicted instability. Draconian cost-cutting has led to short-sighted policies of only offering six-month contracts to players and management support staff alike.
Consequently, it’s no surprise that the Lions continue to struggle to recruit bodies. Striker Marlon King elected to join Watford instead on loan, despite being reportedly keen to come to the Den. Trialist winger John Oster ended up playing against us rather for us at Reading, after Millwall were slow to offer him a deal. And we can’t recruit a goalkeeper for reasons Colin Lee “doesn’t want to go into”.
Then, on the management front, Dave Merrington turns down the assistant boss job because we lack “vision, foresight and ambition”.
Meanwhile, two more senior professional are set to depart: Bob Peeters returning to his native Belgium to play for Genk and Dave Livermore could still be sold before the transfer deadline. Livermore’s versatility will be missed if he does end up making a move to Southampton, presuming a price can be agreed following his “failed” medical.
The good news on that front is at least Millwall are holding out for a decent price, but whether they get it and can also produce an upturn in fortunes on the pitch remains to be seen.
The unceremonious sacking of player-boss Steve Claridge is looking more and more ludicrous by the day, as surely the Lions legend would have known more about the squad than Colin Lee - who’s still learning the players’ names!
It’s always a risk playing without a goalkeeper on the bench and, at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday, Millwall found out first hand what happens if you’re not prepared for all eventualities.
Claridge had rookie keeper Tony Crowther on the bench against Gillingham, and presumably he would have done the same at Reading.
How ironic that Claridge has now got a playing contract at Gillingham, the club he made he made his last Millwall appearance against!
It may have been a good managerial team with Lee installed as assistant boss, as the former Wolves boss does have an excellent reputation as a coach – which according to some attributed players’ quotes may not have been Claridge’s forte.
Meanwhile, Millwall reap the dubious rewards of self-inflicted instability. Draconian cost-cutting has led to short-sighted policies of only offering six-month contracts to players and management support staff alike.
Consequently, it’s no surprise that the Lions continue to struggle to recruit bodies. Striker Marlon King elected to join Watford instead on loan, despite being reportedly keen to come to the Den. Trialist winger John Oster ended up playing against us rather for us at Reading, after Millwall were slow to offer him a deal. And we can’t recruit a goalkeeper for reasons Colin Lee “doesn’t want to go into”.
Then, on the management front, Dave Merrington turns down the assistant boss job because we lack “vision, foresight and ambition”.
Meanwhile, two more senior professional are set to depart: Bob Peeters returning to his native Belgium to play for Genk and Dave Livermore could still be sold before the transfer deadline. Livermore’s versatility will be missed if he does end up making a move to Southampton, presuming a price can be agreed following his “failed” medical.
The good news on that front is at least Millwall are holding out for a decent price, but whether they get it and can also produce an upturn in fortunes on the pitch remains to be seen.
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