Millwall manager Gary Rowett has admitted Jamie Shackleton’s omission from the last two starting XIs has felt a ‘little bit unfair’. After joining on loan from Leeds United, Shackleton started 10 of Millwall’s opening 11 matches in the Championship.
But after a poor start to the season operating with a back five, Rowett opted to move to a back four in the last two matches against Rotherham United and Middlesbrough. The formation change has worked well for the Lions, picking up four points from the six available.
Shackleton had featured both in central midfield and right wing back earlier on in the campaign but has been an unused substitute in the last two. Speaking to News at Den, Rowett claimed that Shackleton’s recent exclusions were not down to form, and he certainly still has a part to play this season.
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He said: “I think Shacks has been in really good form. It’s more a formation change that led to him being out of the starting line-up, which feels a little bit unfair that that’s happened, but I’ve had to pick the team and roll with that to see where it goes.
“All of those players are going to be a massive part of what we’re doing, all of them will be needed to be ready when they come back into the team. Most managers will say exactly the same: the hardest part of management is leaving players out that have worked really hard all week and don’t feel like they’ve got a chance to do their job on a Saturday.
“In no line of business would you feel like you’re sacking someone on a Friday and then having to reemploy them again on a Monday, that’s how it feels. Of course, that’s what any healthy squad needs in this division and we need that competition for places.
“The problem is that only 11 players can play and there’s always going to be five or six players that are really, really disappointed with not playing. You can’t avoid that, all you can do is give players the opportunity to stay in the team when they get the chance.”
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