Striker Steve Morison has called on our talented youngsters to continue developing their trade with Millwall rather than taking the easy move to higher placed sides and is unfortunately then usual – finding themselves in the reserves set up or at best loaned out to clubs in League Two.
In quotes carried by the South London Press our skipper explained that with speculation already surrounding a few of our players, he knew the best place for them was to continue developing at The Den before looking elsewhere.
‘I messed up at their age. I thought I had made it when I first started playing for the first team at Northampton in this division, League One. I ended up in non-league football because I thought I had arrived. I enjoyed the social side of being a footballer, rather than focusing on what had got me there. I used to go out all the time. I thought I could get away with it – do what I wanted. It`s all well and good having the odd night out, but I was going out two or three nights a week. But I got my come-uppance when the next games I was playing were for Bishops Stortford. I certainly say that to some of our lads if I need to. And it applies to all of them.’
Morison went on to say that he considers himself lucky, because he got a second chance, but there are countless players out there in their experienced years in the non league set up who never get that second opportunity.
‘I was lucky – I got a second chance. Sometimes you don`t. The most important thing is playing football, not getting over-confident and thinking half a good season is going to get you a good move. Success does not happen overnight. If you are a success at 26, things might happen for you and you can make the most of it. But at their age, they need to be playing. It is about getting games. And at Millwall there is a good chance of them doing that.’
With plenty of young footballers being attracted by the big lights of a Premiership or Championship club, and then seemingly disappearing from sight to then – if lucky – appear again down the levels three or four years later, Morison more than implied that the key is playing competitive football, not having a jolly in the Under 21 league just because for a while your bank balance looks a bit better as it’s counter productive.
‘That`s better than leaving to go to a club in the bottom half of the Premier League or the top half of the Championship. I don`t think that is for them yet, because they would find they are not playing at their age. They need to keep progressing, and where they are is the right place to do that. When they come to me or Tony Craig, I can help them in a good way – give them some of my experience.’
Vital Millwall on:
Vital Millwall on:
Morison Talks Patience & Stability
