GARY Rowett believes that Duncan Watmore is able to reach 10 Championship goals this season.
Millwall’s deadline day arrival scored five times for Middlesbrough earlier the campaign, with his strike against QPR on Saturday afternoon taking him up to six goals with 17 games left to play.
Watmore is yet to hit double digits in his professional career, having scored 14 goals for then National League North side Altrincham as an 18-year-old in 2012-13. Other than that, his highest total sits at nine goals for Boro in 2020-21.
The Lions have often relied heavily on their strikers in recent years, but attacking midfielder Zian Flemming currently leads the race with 10 goals. Tom Bradshaw comes in just after with seven goals, while centre-back Charlie Cresswell sits one place underneath Watmore with four goals.
Rowett is delighted to see a variety of different players contributing in the final third, adding that Watmore’s impressive finish on Saturday afternoon gives him confidence that the winger can reach a personal best this season.
“I certainly thought it was a very, very good finish,” he said after the game.
“If you look at it, I think he scored five goals for Middlesbrough up until this point of the season, so he’s scored six now. Again, you look at the games to go, if he was to get to double figures, I think we’ve had one wide player in the last three or fours years that has gotten into that. That was probably about three years ago with Jed [Wallace].
“It’s not easy to do, but he’s certainly shown that he’s got that capability. What I like about Duncan is that he’ll work the other way as well, he’ll chase, he’ll run, he’ll compete, and he’s exactly our kind of player.
“That’s why we felt he might give us something a little bit different, and you don’t have to be a genius to see what Burkey gives you, he’s just got absolute blistering pace. He’s also got great quality, and that’s the thing. I think it’s those moments where, if he can show the qualify he’s got, he could be absolutely huge for us.”
Photo: Millwall FC