Millwall Boss Kenny Jackett On The Game

Last updated : 27 April 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Kenny Jackett
Lions manager Kenny Jackett spoke to BBC Radio London and his club's official website about Millwall's 3-0 home win over Carlisle at the New Den, Jackett suggesting that he can start planning for next year now that he knows the Lions are safe from relegation :


" You pick different teams and different combinations to retain some of the good things that we have had, and to try to find that goalscoring equation. We lost, we have done it the hard way again today losing (Lewis) Grabban in the warm-up and then (Andy) Frampton just twisting his ankle and ending up having an X-ray in hospital. So we have done it with our usual couple of injuries, but I was very pleased with the performance today. We played very well and unlike the Leeds game last week we followed it through with some goals, some good finishing.

" We played very well but I felt a win like that had been coming. We've played well in other games but not scored but we got the goals at the right time today. We needed to back up our good football with goals and hopefully we've shown people what we can do, because passing the ball is the way I want to play. Today was about getting the right result, which we did. I've had half an eye on next season, but that's all it ever was while we weren't safe.

" He (Keiren Westwood) looked unbeatable for a while, we had something like the usual 20-35 minutes where we were well on top and didn't score. I'm pleased to say though that we got the goals at good times, just before the half an hour Jay (Simpson), a good set by Neil (Harris) and a good strike by Jay. It has taken us away and then I thought an excellent run to be honest with you into the box, and Neil Harris made the defender (Danny Livesey) commit himself and he picked himself up to finish it.

" Certainly when Tony (Craig) headed in the third goal I sat down in the dugout, I felt like we were home and dry then. I had a lot of confidence in the character of the players that we put out today to see it through. It was a great day for us first off, a good performance and we have done the job, albeit some weeks later than I would have liked, but we've done the job of staying up this year. Now we must take out the good things, I need to learn very quickly about, a new club for me, what works, what works at home, what works away from home and put that to good use.

" In the last couple of seasons we've had a poor start and that has inhibited us in terms of wanting to push on. We need to get very, very fit in the summer though, make sure that we don't have the same amount of injuries that we have had this year and work as hard as we possibly can to avoid that. We need to see if we can have a solid start to a season and see where that takes us, because we are capable in this league and level. It's something that is easily said and difficult to do but our aim next year, and my aim as a manager, must be to challenge for promotion.

" I thought that he (Neil Harris) was excellent today in a very good team performance, the team played well but Neil played very well. As well as his play I felt that he showed leadership for us, and as a manager that's something that maybe the supporters don't always assess as well. His play was good though and his leadership was terrific, and he was a major contribution to a good day for us.

" My planning for next year on who stays and who doesn't, my budget is now something that I can finally look at and plan and try to bring together. We have a board meeting on Monday and it's nice to go into that situation in the last week of the season knowing where we are, knowing our status and then planning for next year, and obviously Neil comes into that situation, unless he moves. "