“The decision to let the Cowley brothers go seems unfathomable.” - Millwall Preview
Brady Frost, Feature Writer
Twitter: @brady0894
Source for image above: HTAFC
Gary Rowett’s resurgence and a new Danny managing Huddersfield. Nick Hart, from Achtung! Millwall Podcast, previews Town’s final game of the season at Millwall.
Not much has happened in the last few days for Town, has it? Just a 2-1 win against second-placed West Brom to seal Town’s Championship status; Danny and Nicky Cowley being dismissed two days later, Mark Hudson and John Iga being dismissed the day after that, announcing former Danny Schofield will be managing the team at Millwall, oh, and Huddersfield agreeing compensation with Leeds for their Under 23s coach, Carlos Corberan, to make him the next Town boss.
The season finishes for Town tomorrow, but the drama will carry on long into the summer. While we wait for what happens next, let’s preview the Millwall match. With Millwall’s playoff hopes over and Town safe bar some dramatic scorelines, this game looks like a dead rubber on paper, but that doesn’t mean there’s not plenty to talk about.
With changes expected for both sides, we could see some game time for players hoping to impress Huddersfield’s new manager, while Millwall could finish a respectable seventh in the table. To find out about our opponents and what to expect from the match, we spoke to Nick Hart from Achtung! Millwall Podcast.
Millwall manager Gary Rowett has progressed and advanced Millwall, according to Nick Hart. Photo source: Millwall
What have you made of Millwall’s performances since football restarted?
Overall, a typically Millwall anti-climax after 14 weeks’ worth of over-anticipation. We entered the lockdown period on the back of a ruthless away win at Forest. A win that put us in with a real shot at playoff football.
We came back from the break looking unfocused, sloppy in defence and willing to give Wayne Rooney’s Derby enough respect, time and space to score three goals at The Den and take away the points with bows attached.
In truth, it was a performance that suffered badly from having no fans in the ground.
Are you disappointed to miss out on a playoff spot given how close you made it?
I expected little else. After a lifetime following the Lions, wasting massive opportunities has become second nature to me. It would be interesting to know if the playing squad were disappointed, as for me the key players in the team rather ‘froze’ like rabbits facing the headlights of the Premier League juggernaut.
I think they should be very, very disappointed - some of them will never get another chance to make the big time.
How would you rate Millwall’s season?
It was a season of progress and advancement under Gary Rowett. When he took over last October, we were 18th and looking like another relegation dog fight was on the cards. As we complete our programme versus Huddersfield we still gave a slim chance of finishing 7th in the table. Something that would have been unimaginable when Neil Harris left us.
Huddersfield drew 1-1 with Millwall earlier in the season, with Fraizer Campbell grabbing the goal for The Terriers. Photo source: Millwall
How are impressed are you with Gary Rowett’s impact? Do expect a playoff push next season?
Very impressed indeed. He has turned our tactical approach around and introduced strange concepts like our centre-backs making forward runs. Passing the ball, rather than percentage balls into the channels. Revelatory stuff down Zampa Road.
What did you think of Huddersfield when they played against Millwall earlier this season?
This season has run on for so long now, that the away 1-1 draw at Huddersfield seems like an eternity ago. Neither set of managers that day are still at the respective clubs and, checking the match report to aid my memory, all that I can recall is watching a dodgy internet feed and thinking that we might be in for a tough campaign as we clung on for a draw.
What have been Millwall’s weaknesses, is there anything Huddersfield can take advantage of?
The Lions may well be fielding some youngsters on Wednesday - I certainly hope so anyway. So the dead rubber may well feel like a summer friendly from our side. I see that Huddersfield are not mathematically safe, so I expect them to be hungrier than we may be.
Weaknesses? If by some psychedelic slip of the mind Gary Rowett names Jiri Skalak in our starting XI, then you can take heart that the left side of our attack won’t be up to much.
Jed Wallace has earned plenty of plaudits this season. Photo source: Millwall
Who has been the standout performer this season?
Jed Wallace is our main ‘createur’, but my player of the season choice was Mahlon Romeo - he may be injured Wednesday however. Our goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski will be a strong contender for player of the season as he makes miracle saves look like his normality. Handy bloke to have.
Is there anything Huddersfield need to be on the lookout for in this game?
Unfortunately, there will be no crowd, which has blighted our home form. So normally I’d say watch out for the torrent of abuse as you get out of the coach, pre-match kickabout, near the touchline, corner flag or warm up area. Anywhere really.
But no-one will be there, so perhaps keep an eye on the crowd cutout of HM The Queen - who knew she was Millwall?
Emile Smith Rowe, who scored the winner against West Brom, has one more game to further impress Terrier fans. Photo source: HTAFC
What do you think of Huddersfield this season and Danny Cowley’s dismissal?
I haven’t followed Huddersfield at all, so can’t in truth give you any answer beyond saying that, unless you have Pep Guardiola secretly tapped up, the decision to let the Cowley brothers go seems ... unfathomable. Folly perhaps.
What’s your score prediction for the game?
Millwall 2-0 Huddersfield.
How do you think Huddersfield will get on against Millwall? Let us know in the comments!
