GARY Rowett confirmed that Charlie Cresswell’s absence against Rotherham United was a selection decision rather than an injury.
The centre-back has been benched for two games so far this season, but Wednesday’s draw was the first time that he was left out of the squad altogether.
It left some fans fearing the worst when the team news was announced in South Yorkshire, but the Millwall boss was keen to dispel any concerns.
“It was just a selection decision,” he explained after the match.
“We played with a back four. I felt I needed to go with a four that had played a lot together so that’s what I decided to do.
“Our captain was left out of the squad last week, Mason Bennett was left out of the squad last week, Scotty Malone was left out of the squad this week, and young Cressy tonight.
“It was just a decision I made, I didn’t feel I needed a centre back on the bench. I think sometimes people will feel if you’re not in the 18 then something has gone wrong, but you have to remember that the bench need to be able to impact the game so you have to pick the bench accordingly.
“It might be that, in a game or two’s time, he comes back into the starting lineup. It’s as simple as that.”
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