GARY Rowett said Jake Cooper “leads by example” as the defender is again set to captain the team at the Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday.
Cooper, 26, is next in line for the armband if Alex Pearce doesn’t start and with Shaun Hutchinson injured.
Cooper is known for his work ethic and he often spends extra hours in the gym. He dislocated his shoulder twice last season but didn’t need surgery and has fully built back his strength in the area.
Pearce is probably the Lions’ most vocal presence, and without fans it was possible to hear the constant instructions and encouragement he gives to team-mates.
Hutchinson is also not afraid to bark out demands to team-mates.
“Coops is one that leads by example a little bit more. He’s probably not as vocal as Pearcey and Hutchy,” Rowett said.
“But he’s well-experienced by now and knows exactly what we want. He leads by example in terms of the way he prepares for games and goes about games.
“Everyone’s different in the way they lead. Pearcey is really vocal in the way he organises. Hutchy is similar, Coops is probably a tiny bit quieter.
“But he still has that same presence.”
Even without Hutchinson and Mason Bennett, Rowett is set to have some tough decisions before naming his bench with match-day squads reduced back to 18 from 20 this season.
Rowett acknowledges that is tough on players who work hard all week but are then left out on match-days.
He said: “The Premier League is three subs from nine and that gives you a really good chance of having everybody involved all the time.
“There aren’t many other businesses where Monday to Friday you’re an important part of the process and then on Saturday you don’t feel part of it because you’re out of that squad.
“Most managers will say the same, it’s probably the most difficult part of the game because you can only pick 18 players in your match-day squad whereas most teams have more than that in their full group.
“It’s not nice, it’s not ideal but as a manager you try to make players understand that sometimes it’s a tactical decision, the 18 you’ve gone with. Sometimes it’s not necessarily a negative reason why three or four are left out of the squad.
“But of course if you’re a player you’ll tend to see it like that. Everyone wants to play and be involved, so it is a challenge.
“My preference would have been to be able to pick three from nine subs.”
Possible Millwall starting XI: Bialkowski; McNamara, Ballard, M Wallace, Cooper, Malone; Leonard, Kieftenbeld, Saville; J Wallace, Afobe.
Match odds: Cardiff 6/5 Draw 12/5 Millwall 7/4
Last meeting: Championship (January 30, 2021): Cardiff 1-1 Millwall (Moore 71; Flint 8 og).
Image: Millwall FC