JIRI Skalak has admitted he thought about leaving Millwall after a long spell out of the team – but he is now raring to impress boss Gary Rowett.
Skalak, 27, made just four league starts in his first season after joining from Brighton in August 2018, and his luck seemed out again this campaign when he had to go off in the 39th minute at Fulham after suffering a heel injury.
He was in Rowett’s starting line-up for the first time at Birmingham with the Czech Republic international surprised he played 85 minutes, his longest spell of league action in a Lions shirt.
“It was a great feeling after a long time out,” Skalak said. “Last season was a tough season for me. This season I got injured for eight or 10 weeks so it was great to be back.
“It was a heel injury and we didn’t know what was going on. They said it would be two or four weeks and I had some injections. We had to take our time with it.
“It was a bad type of injury because every day you walk on it and it’s sore all the time. Rest didn’t really help me. I was on crutches and we tried different things.
“I’m happy to be back. I was quite surprised [to play 85 minutes]. Every week I feel better and better. I work hard.
“It’s been really frustrating. I signed here last year and I didn’t play a lot of games. From January I didn’t play until the last game of the season.
“It was a really hard time for me. I didn’t play for the national side either because I wasn’t playing here. It was a tough year.
“I went on holidays and I told myself I would work even harder. I didn’t have any days off because I hadn’t played for a long time so I didn’t need a rest. I trained really hard and came back in really good shape.
“I had a good pre-season. We played West Brom away and won that cup game and then we played Fulham and I got injured after 25 minutes.
“Hopefully this season will be better than last year and I get more chances to show what I can do for Millwall.
“After the half year I didn’t play I was thinking I would have to go somewhere on loan. Of course I was thinking about that in the summer as well.
“But I came back and Neil Harris wanted me to be here, a lot of players had left. I said, ‘okay, if you give me a chance’. I like this club, it was no problem for me to stay. I love to play for Millwall.”
Harris, the manager who signed Skalak, left Millwall in October.
“A lot of players were sad, but that’s life, you know? It was his choice to leave this club,” Skalak said. “I understand. I cannot be sad it was his choice.
“If he’d got sacked it would be different. It was his choice so I agree with that. It’s his life and he changed, now he’s in Cardiff. It’s another part of his life now so let’s see how he’ll do.
“I can’t be sad about that if it’s his choice.
“Fans can see straightaway we play different football with more passes [under Rowett]. We’ve changed shape away and at home. I really enjoy that because for the players it’s better if you have more of the ball and you try to play more football. I prefer that.
“One hundred per cent it’s a new challenge for me with the new manager and now I must show why this club bought me.”
Skalak has extra motivation to perform more regularly for Millwall this season. He is in Czech Republic manager Jaroslav Šilhavý’s thoughts having been recalled to the squad in August.
The side were drawn in Group D in Euro 2020, with England, Croatia and a play-off winner. The meeting with England will be at Wembley.
“If I play well here I can play for the national team in the Euros here in England. It’s my target now and I’ll work really hard for that,” Skalak said.
“I was happy with England. I texted my friend with the national team before the draw and said, ‘100 per cent we’ll have England in the group, so we can stay here’.
“Some of them are great players, [Raheem] Sterling, [Harry] Kane, you could name all of them. They played very well in the World Cup. They’re one of the best teams in the world.
“If I play games here there’s a chance I’ll play for the national team. Most of the players are from the Czech league but the manager prefers players who are playing. If I’m not playing here I’ll have less of a chance. If I am, I will get that chance.”
Image: Millwall FC