EFL pundit sends Gary Rowett message to Millwall and Lions supporters | OneFootball

EFL pundit Sam Parkin has urged Millwall and Lions fans to "take a breath and hold fire" when it comes to under pressure manager Gary Rowett.

A poor end to the 2022/23 campaign saw the South Londoners miss out on the Championship play-offs and they've not yet been able to rediscover their fortunes in the new campaign.

Millwall were beaten 3-0 by Leeds United on Sunday - a result that has left them 18th with seven points from their first six games.

Rowett has taken plenty of flak from supporters already this season but for the time being, appears to retain the faith of the club chiefs.

Sam Parkin defends Millwall boss Gary Rowett

Speaking on the What The EFL!? podcast, Parkin made his stance clear on the Lions boss as he offered advice to the club and their fans.

He said: "Yes, there is going to be a lot of criticism of Gary Rowett and there already has been this season. I think, again, just take a breath and hold fire.

"This is a whole new team, pretty much, that's five players across the middle, only Billy Mitchell with the experience at The Den playing games for Millwall.

"This is a new midfield, a bit of a new look back three with Ryan Leonard playing on the right-hand side.

"The same problems still exist though. Lack of pace there, a lack of guile in the midfield - the one who can control the ball - and I think strike force at the moment, forward players at the moment, missing a talismanic Jed Wallace, a talismanic Steve Morison, Lee Gregory, Tim Cahill, lets go back a few decades. They don't have that person to pin their hopes on, especially with Flemming out of the side."

Is the criticism of Gary Rowett fair?

You can completely understand why there would be frustration among parts of the Millwall fanbase after they faltered last term and have made a poor start to the new campaign.

That said, Rowett is a bit of a victim of his own past success as he's overachieved with the Lions by having them regularly finishing in the top half with a fairly small budget.

He deserves the time to turn fortunes around at The Den and Parkin is right to highlight that he doesn't have a fully settled squad after a number of changes in the summer window.

At every club he has been at, Rowett's issue has been that when the results dry up his conservative style of play leaves supporters frustrated and that looks to be the case at The Den right now.

If he can get his side winning again then it will no doubt quieten the doubters but their voices will grow louder and may start to influence the decision-makers at the club if fortunes don't change soon.

They then travel to The Hawthorns to take on mid-table West Bromwich Albion before hosting 22nd-place Swansea City the weekend after.