BROOKE NORTON-CUFFY is working every minute to push himself forward at his “second home”.
The nineteen-year-old has made a solid start to life at Millwall after joining on loan from Arsenal in August, starting nine of the eleven games since his arrival.
The wing-back has impressed fans with his athleticism and dribbling skills but he’s not yet satisfied and is working non-stop to improve every aspect of his game.
Luckily for Norton-Cuffy, he lives very close to the Lions’ Calmont Road training ground in Bromley and is using the base to push himself as far as he can go.
He told NewsAtDen: “Playing well is the most important thing for me. I feel like I’ve come in and had good performances so far. Still a lot to improve on and I do want to get my goals and assists up. I feel like I have to take the onus on goals and assists.
“I need to put the balls into better areas, I need to tune that part of the game really. I have put balls in good areas at times but it’s on me to really start hitting those targets.
“[The proximity to the training ground] is perfect for me as I can wake up in the morning, get something to eat at home, get ready for my day and then stay as long as I want, really. I don’t have to think about rushing back. I can work on what I have to work on here and it’s basically my second home now. I can work on things here, go home, relax and get ready for it again next day. So it’s perfect.”
Norton-Cuffy was deployed in a right midfield position in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Watford, higher up the pitch than what’s been used to this season.
And he is keen to start firing more efforts at opposition keepers to help turbocharge goal-shy Millwall’s attack.
He said: “I feel like it’s time to just let it go. In training I feel like my finishing is pretty good but in games I feel like there’s times that I look to pass and look to slip people in where I could take a shot on for myself. So it’s the decision-making in the final third that I could tune a bit and hopefully get more goals.
“I really dissect the games and go through it. I have someone I work with away from the club and we go through my clips pretty much once every week or once every two weeks and we just look on bits I can improve on. That’s going to help me but at the end of the day that’s going to help the team as well.”
One moment from the Watford game that Norton-Cuffy has already dissected was his dazzling second half run into the box, which presented an opportunity which Ryan Longman hit just wide.
The Gunners loanee said: “I watched it back straight after the game. Should have got the shot off, I took an extra touch as I was trying to hit in on my left and if I took a small touch and hit it on my right foot I would have got a shot on goal. Things to improve.”
Norton-Cuffy said he is focusing on events on the pitch and training ground and not Millwall’s ongoing search for a new manager. But he said he hopes the new permanent boss, whoever they are, will give the players “freedom” going forward.
He added: “I’m not too sure with what’s going on with the new manager. Ads [caretaker manager Adam Barrett] has come in and has done quite a good job so far in training and being around the boys, just getting us back to a winning mentality and playing free-flowing football.
“If a new manager comes in, I just want a manager that wants us to work hard, have licence to have a bit of freedom in the final third and go out and express yourself and just make sure everyone’s willing to work for each other.”
Despite being his own harshest critic, Norton-Cuffy insists he’s loving life in SE16 and has adapted quickly.
He added: “The boys push standards here which is very good and everyone gets on. The boys and [their partners] will link up and go out for dinner here and there so it’s like a family unit and the boys are quite tight. It’s a good environment to be in.
“I’ve moved to Bromley now with my missus and she’s enjoying it. My family can come down to watch a lot of the games, they’re there every week.
“Life at Millwall is good. I feel like the fans have taken to me quite well and I’m just really enjoying it.”
