Millwall ought to have “zero fear” because the race for promotion from the Championship heats up, says boss Alex Neil.
The Lions are the league’s shock bundle, sitting third with 4 video games to play, and may go second with victory over QPR on Saturday lunchtime, dwell on Sky Sports activities+, forward of Ipswich’s showdown with Middlesbrough on Sunday.
They may even seal a play-off place in the event that they win and Wrexham fail to beat Stoke.
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However Millwall have been on a rollercoaster in latest weeks, transferring up into the automated promotion locations for the primary time with a win at promotion rivals Middlesbrough, earlier than defeat at house to Norwich and a draw at West Brom noticed Ipswich take the initiative within the chase to affix Coventry within the high two.
Nevertheless, there was one other twist on Tuesday, with Ipswich – who’ve a recreation in hand – surprisingly crushed at Portsmouth.
That may be a end result which has “left things quite open for everyone”, says Neil, however he’s urging Millwall’s gamers to not be overwhelmed by the strain and as an alternative benefit from the scenario, given the membership had been final within the Championship play-offs in 2002.
“You never know when this opportunity is going to come back round again. Don’t be a passenger and let it pass by you,” mentioned Neil when requested what his message to his gamers is. “Just be sure you get pleasure from each second of it and provides it your greatest shot.
“From our perspective, we should have zero fear. We should embrace the situation and give everything we’ve got and see where that takes us.”
There was focus within the Premier League on Arsenal’s nerves as they attempt to safe their first title in over twenty years and Neil admitted some “tension” had crept into his crew’s efficiency on the Hawthorns final week.
Talking in regards to the mentality required to recover from the road, Neil – who has steered Norwich and Sunderland to play-off promotions – mentioned: “Keeping a fire in your belly but a cool head when it matters most can determine key moments in games and no more so than at the business end of the season when you need to find a way to be effective and to win.”
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Highlights of the Sky Guess Championship match between West Brom and Millwall
Amid discussions among the many Millwall fanbase on whether or not they are going to obtain computerized promotion or need to accept the play-offs, Neil can be eager to maintain the membership’s place in context, stating his crew have “given Millwall fans one of the best seasons they’ve had in decades”.
He mentioned: “At the start of the season, if I said to anyone that we would get into the play-offs, everyone would be absolutely buzzing because that’s been an aim we’ve wanted to try to achieve for the club for such a long period of time.
“Now, does it imply that we’re happy with that? Completely not. And I believe that is the place we have to get a little bit of perspective on issues.
“Do we want to try and go up automatically? Of course we do. Who wouldn’t?
“However would we be dissatisfied with the play-offs? Completely 100 per cent not, as a result of it provides us a possibility to see the place we will go in that and battle our nook and hopefully produce some sturdy performances and try to win some extra video games.
“So, as far as we’re concerned, we’re in a really good spot.”
