Millwall are on the lookout for a new head coach, having handed the reins to former manager Neil Harris once more until the end of the campaign.
The Lions are caught in the middle of a tense battle for survival in England’s second tier, with six points separating 23rd and 12th, setting up one of the most incredible final ten games of a season in recent history.
Sitting dangerously above the relegation zone, the hierarchy decided to make the difficult decision to relieve Joe Edwards from his position at The Den after merely 19 matches in the dugout. Millwall won just four of those games and the 37-year-old paid the ultimate price.
Harris was appointed as Edwards’ successor for the home stretch of the season, leaving his post at Cambridge United merely two months after taking the job with the League One outfit. So far, the London club have picked up seven points from nine, including an impressive win away at promotion hopefuls Southampton.
☄️ @michaelobafemi_ has his first #Millwall goal! ✅ pic.twitter.com/ZkMYhXYD3D
— Millwall FC (@MillwallFC) March 6, 2024
However, Harris is currently seen as a temporary placeholder until May when a new manager will be appointed prior to the 2024/25 season, despite the uncertainty surrounding the side’s status in the Championship right now.
One man who has been linked with the job is Hearts boss Steven Naismith, as per reports from Football Insider. The former Everton man has been in charge of 29 matches with the Scottish side and has guided the team to 19 wins and three draws.
In a recent interview with The Scotsman, the 37-year-old was asked about the rumours of him being watched closely by Millwall but admitted he is not “taking much notice of it” [quotes via the Daily Record]:
“Since I’ve retired from playing, I’ve had a picture of the route I want to take and what I want to do. Through my playing career, I had an understanding of the steps to take to be successful,” Naismith said.
“This is my first year taking a team at senior level. It’s the first step and it’s probably a big first step. I could have made a choice to take an easier first step regarding the demand and size of the club.
“I’m enjoying every minute of it at Hearts and our focus is on being successful. You get linked and your name gets put towards different stories at times,” he continued.
“That either happens when you are doing really poorly and you’re due the sack, or you are doing really well and people are noticing. In some respects, it’s nice to see, but I’m not really taking much notice of it.
“I’m at the very early stages of my managerial career. It takes time to get your point across and get your understanding of the players. We are in a good moment and we’ve done loads of hard work to get to this point.”
Writer’s View
Millwall need to focus on surviving in the Championship for another season before enquiries are made about potential successors for Harris because getting relegated makes the prospect of taking over at The Den far less enticing for any manager.
Naismith would be a decent option, but the ex-Norwich City man is far less experienced than other candidates who could be tempted by the vacant job. Perhaps even Harris could throw his name in the hat once more as a long-term option if he manages to keep the club in the division.
Deputy Head of Writing
