MILLWALL boss Gary Rowett has applauded the “fantastic” job Gareth Ainsworth has done with Wycombe ahead of the sides’ meeting at Adams Park this Saturday.
Rowett and Ainsworth were on a shortlist of three for the Lions job last October – along with Adam Barrett, now the Millwall assistant manager – but it was the former Derby and Stoke most who most impressed in the interview process.
Ainsworth went on to lead the Chairboys to promotion to the second tier for the first time in their 123-year history when they defeated Oxford 2-1 in the League One play-off final.
It has been a difficult start in the Championship for Ainsworth, whose side have no points and no goals after four games and have conceded 10 times.
“I didn’t speak to him at the time,” Rowett said, “it’s difficult to speak to the other candidates, not that I wasn’t aware who the other candidates were.
“I’ve spoken to Gareth a few times since. I played with him in my earlier days at Cambridge and have watched with interest his managerial career so far.
“I think what he’s done in the last four or five years at Wycombe has been fantastic and he can be applauded for that. The success last season was incredible for the budget they have.
“What we’re going to get Saturday is an incredibly committed team that want to make a mark in this division. Their opening results don’t indicate anything for me in this game, we’ve got to go there and be at our very best. If we are then we have a chance of winning any game in this league.
“But like we saw at Swansea, if we’re a little bit off our best and don’t do the things we’re good at, some of those basics, then we can lose games as well.
“We’ve got a period coming up when we feel we need to start hitting form.”
Fred Onyedinma could face his former club this Saturday.
Onyedinma was linked with a move to the Premier League and some top Championship clubs during and at the end of the 2016-17 season, and Rowett was asked if he was ever interested in signing the forward as manager of Derby or Stoke.
Rowett said: “Like a lot of players in this division we were aware of him, but he wasn’t one we were ever imminently trying to sign. But there are a lot of players in this division in that category, that’s not a slight on him.
“When he’s on form he’s got great athleticism.”
Image: Milwall FC