Goalscorer Jimmy Abdou, Ed Upson and David Forde have spoken about the two nil victory over Wigan Athletic in midweek.
Having leapfrogged our opponents on the night, and with a five point gap to Rotherham who could now be subject to a three point deduction for fielding an ineligible player earlier this season, Abdou opened events by telling the official site that it was about time he scored given the last one came two odd years ago.
In his own interview he explained that gaffer and former playing colleague Neil Harris had given him the confidence to try and get on the scoresheet more often by ghosting into the box.
‘We talked again a few weeks ago and Chopper told me to run in the box and when I do I can score, so that gave me confidence. Hopefully it can be a difference at the end of the season. It could have come to anyone but it has come to me so I was happy and really proud. It was a big relief to score first and to get a second one after that. We’re very happy. It was a tough game and we won it in the end but this is just the start now. We have to continue like that. We are going to fight to the end.’
Moving on to Upson, shown a straight red card during the match, he apologised to the fans for what he called a stupid sending off during the match.
He will now miss three of the remaining four games this season after pushing Jason Pearce in the face during an altercation in the game, and even though manager Neil Harris explained that he couldn’t ask the players to show ‘passion, commitment, tackles and challenges’ and then whinge the first time a player sees red, Upson took to twitter himself to say.
‘Can only apologise, the emotion of the game got the better of me and I just reacted to a bad tackle without thinking. So stupid I’m gutted.’
In quotes carried by the South London Press Magaye Gueye was talking about his own form of late an with his ‘ab specific’ celebration against Wigan in light of the Ian Holloway comments about his weight, he seems like a player enjoying himself under Neil Harris.
Gueye said of the weight issues and Holloway’s demands.
‘I think he tried to kill me. But if you are not strong, you won`t achieve anything in life. He helped me with my
problems when I first signed but then he completely stopped. His comments about my body-fat ratio upset me. I don`t think he treated me fairly. I have had a very difficult year – I was out all of last season with an injury and did not play at all. But I say if you want me to be fit, put me on the pitch.’
Gueye went on to say he didn’t feel like he was treated fairly, but he understands in football it happens and it’s about how players respond to that and he feels his recent form speaks for his response.
‘Now we have a new manager and the fans have seen how things have changed – in our football as well. Things are very different. If I am put out on the pitch, I will do the maximum. I am enjoying my football and especially now we have started to win. I like a challenge. It has been hard when we were not winning. I much prefer it when I am playing and at my best – and what I am best at is creating goals.’
As for Forde, he was quoted by News Shopper as saying that nobody could be distracted by the possibility of a points deduction because it would count for nothing unless be get the points on the board that we need to take advantage of that and of course the Wigan result was a good start in that direction at this late stage.
He also joked it was ‘about time’ that Abdou scored as it’s felt like forever since he last got on the scoresheet.
Having been asked about Rotherham, he explained.
You have to wait until the decision is made. There are no what ifs and maybes, you have to stay in the present and stay focused on the job at hand. We haven`t even allowed that to deter us, we`ve just kept going. If we win our game in hand and they don`t get deducted then we`re still just two points behind, which is very marginal. But we could be blessed. It could be the bit of luck we need that`s deserted us a lot this year.’
As for Abdou’s strike, he added.
‘It`s about time! I`m absolutely delighted for him, he loves it here at this club. He`s scored some important, well, one important goal, and I was there that night at Elland Road when he scored in the semi-finals of the play-offs to get us to Wembley. Hopefully he can look back this year if we stay up and look back at big, big moments and that`s certainly one of them.’
As for changes that have taken place under the new gaffer, Forde went on to say that Harris had managed to instil some resilience back in the team and he feels fans will have seen that in recent performances where whatever knocks the team take, they come back fighting.
‘That`s what the club was all about – being resilient in times of adversity. That`s certainly the case at the moment. Jimmy has summed that up. He`s come in, scored a fantastic goal and Neil has brought that back into the side as well.’
Vital Millwall on:
Vital Millwall on:
Abdou, Upson, Gueye and Forde On Wigan Win
