By Kiro Evans
NEIL Harris insists that Millwall have to strengthen the squad in the summer to build on this season.
The head coach was parachuted in to save the Lions from relegation, a feat they managed with last week’s 1-0 win over Sunderland.
Following today’s 1-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle, Harris was asked multiple questions on Millwall’s plans for the summer and gave a lengthy answer when explaining what he was looking to do in the window.
He said: “We have to realise where we’ve been, make sure that doesn’t happen again next season and the season after that. The cycle should now be broken.
“We’ve got a transfer window in front of us where we have to improve the squad – have to improve the squad. To improve the squad, you have to change players from what is in my opinion the bottom reaches of the squad and bring in players that go into your starting eleven, or very close to it. That’s the only way any team progresses.
“We have to do that in the next transfer window to be better.”
Asked if fans can expect major changes, Harris grinned and said: “This football club doesn’t do major change because we’re never in the financial position to do major change. The core group has shown itself again. We need to keep the core group, we need to add a little bit of quality at the top half of the pitch in my opinion.
“We need to make sure we get the balance of the squad right [in terms] of age and younger players that are going to come through and help us either permanently or on loan. And we have to make sure we keep that Millwall-ness to us which is the Millwall spirit and play in the right manner that our fans want to see.”
The Lions boss was then questioned on his defence, having largely relied on Ryan Leonard, Japhet Tanganga, Jake Cooper and Danny McNamara across his 12 games in charge.
With loanee Tanganga heading back to Tottenham, he was asked what plans he had for the remaining positions.
He said: “All three positions are up for grabs in the summer. [The players are] back in at the end of June, they’re on the start line and they start again. They’ve achieved in 12 games for me but success over the course of the season? That will be debatable and subjective to the man sat in the pub with his pint and his mates.
“For me, we get the balance of the squad right that we recruit to make sure we have left-footed left backs and right-footed right-backs in the building, to make sure we have the balance of midfield players that can play with the ball, can run forward, can score goals.
“We have to make sure we have the right combination of nines at the top end of the pitch. Have we? No, at the moment, so that has to be adjusted for sure.
“We have to make sure we have the right calibre of wide player. The squad was recruited this year to play wing-backs so I’ve had to muddle through, and I mean that with the utmost respect to the group of players that have done brilliantly. But we need Millwall wide players.”
