Millwall boss makes light-hearted comment after Maikel Kieftenbeld starts Den career with early yellow card

Maikel Kieftenbeld took just 26 minutes to collect his first Millwall booking – but manager Gary Rowett was never concerned that it could lead to a red card on his debut.

The Dutch midfielder joined the Lions on Monday and went in the book for a sliding tackle on Watford’s Nathaniel Chalobah.

Kieftenbeld’s last dismissal came at Brentford in October 2018. He also got 10 cautions in that campaign.

Rowett joked: “If Maikel has to worry about managing himself when he gets booked that could be most games! Maikel is pretty much used to it.

“The tackle epitomised him – whole-hearted. It was just a bit il-timed, rather than malicious.

“It’s funny because the day before his first training session I went through some shape and what we tactically needed him to do within that shape – he’s almost telling me he knows straight away.

“He understands the game. He came through the Dutch era of coaching where they gave really good information to players. It’s what he has grown up with. There are a few players I have to tell more than once, but Maikel is not one of them.

“His intelligence means he knows when to tackle and not to tackle. It is part of his game and when you bring him into the building you don’t want him to lose that competitive streak. You hope he can control it enough to not cause himself any problems.”

PHOTOS: KEITH GILLARD