GARY ROWETT has defended Murray Wallace after he was criticised for his recent performances.
Some supporters have been disappointed by the Scotsman, who has set incredibly high standards while playing for Millwall in recent years. However, after shifting to become a left-back in a 4-2-3-1 and suffering a groin injury in a 2-1 win against Bristol City, he hasn’t been able to show the same defensive strength as he has in the past.
As a result, there has been some concerns that he has become a liability in a strong back line, with some fans believing that he was at fault for Middlesbrough’s winning goal at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
However, Rowett was quick to stick up for the defender, explaining that he has earned the right to go through a rough patch after a number of exceptional years at the heart of the Lions’ back line.
“There are always going to be a couple of fans that are unhappy with something, so I wouldn’t necessarily judge it on that,” he told NewsAtDen.
“I think players go through great bits of form and they go through bits where they maybe have a game or two where things don’t quite go for them. I think any player has to ride those moments within a season.
“Muzza has been absolutely incredible for me as a manager. He can play as a left-side centre-back in a [back] three, a left-side centre-back in a two, he can play left-back in a four, he can play left wing-back. Whatever you ask him to do, he’ll go and do it with everything he’s got.
“I think he’ll be the first to admit that he’s a player that’s wholehearted. At times when he’s feeling confident, his quality is really good. Then there will be other times where that’s maybe not a natural side to his game.
“He keeps working hard, he keeps doing what he needs to do, but the least of my worries at the minute is Murray Wallace because he’s such a trustworthy player.
“I think he epitomises what we are as a team. We’re not always going to be wonderful on the eye but we’re all-effort, determined, disciplined and a team that shows desire. What we’ve got to do is get people in form, and Muzza has certainly shown over a long period that he’s more than welcome to have a game where he doesn’t produce as good moments as he usually does.”
Photo: Millwall FC