Millwall boss Gary Rowett not enjoying behind-closed-doors experience

Gary Rowett is not enjoying the return of football.

Millwall are yet to register a win since the restart of the season, drawing two and losing one of their three games and have slipped to five points adrift of the Championship play-off places.

One of the big changes to football has been the absence of fans. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic all games are being played behind closed doors.

“If you ask me whether I’ve enjoyed it, no, not one little bit,” said Rowett. “I think we’re all the same, football as we know it is completely different. It feels like it’s hard to get yourself into the games. It’s hard to get yourself as excited by what you see and in terms of the atmosphere. But we’ve been really professional and unlucky now not to have won two out of the three games. I’m sat here a little bit disappointed.”

Asked if it has been difficult to motivate the players to play in empty stadiums Rowett said “It’s not really difficult because we want to try to win games whether the fans are there or not, but I think it has a huge effect on Millwall. I’m sure it does for other teams. The Den it’s a unique place for us. I spoke to one of the Derby players after the [first game] and he said: ‘It’s a massive relief to come to Millwall with no fans, not to have to go in the away changing rooms and turn up in the middle of winter when maybe the pitch isn’t as good.”