JOE Edwards is prepared to give “exciting prospect” Adam Mayor game time – and insists the new man could make an immediate impact.
The 19-year-old signed permanently from Morecambe earlier this week, becoming the Lions’ third and final signing of the January window after Japhet Tanganga and Michael Obafemi both joined on loan.
Mayor will be suspended for tomorrow’s game at Hull City after reaching the threshold for yellow cards at League Two Morecambe, where he played 67 games.
But he will be available for the televised trip next Sunday to Coventry City.
Speaking in pre-match press conference, Edwards explained how the deal was done, why he thinks Mayor has a “Millwall feel” to his game that could help his side.
He said: “He’s a young player who the club have been keeping an eye on for a long time. Before I joined the club, in my England role, he was a player I was aware of as well, he was on the radar.
“As soon as I first joined and Alex [Aldridge, the director of recruitment] first told me he’d been on the radar of Millwall, it was something I was keen for us to progress with. I knew he was a good player, the club obviously felt he was a really exciting prospect.
“Aside from the two we’ve done so far in the window in Japhet Tanganga and Michael Obafemi, Adam’s a different type where, as much as you add players to strengthen it right here and now, it’s important to be building for the future as well. At the age that he is, it’s impressive the amount of games he’s played in the league, particularly in that level where it’s very physically demanding. It’s not easy for a teenager to play at that level so he’s obviously robust but he is very young and it’s a big step up.
“So it’s a player that joins our squad immediately and we take it from here as to how quickly we can bed him in. He’s the same as any other player now – if he trains well and gets opportunities and earns it, the shirt’s there for him. But we’re more than willing to be patient and first and foremost help him settle in.
“He adds to the top end of the pitch, plays wide left. Very direct runner, strong runner, good speed, very hard-working as well. And as well as doing the work with pressing and recovering from one of those wider attacking positions, he’s not scared to make physical contact when he gets there either, so he’s a nice fit for keeping that Millwall feel. He’s got an aggressive and rough nature when he has to defend but certainly a big attacking threat with his speed.”
Edwards believes Mayor has the right mentality to succeed and isn’t overly concerned by the youngster’s habit for racking up yellow cards, with 10 in the league already this season, more than anyone in Millwall’s squad.
He said: “I had an awareness of him as a player, but when I say that I mean just watching clips and seeing what he could do on the pitch. When I had the opportunity to meet him and speak to him in person, I was even more impressed and more convinced that, as a character, what he is now but then also what he’s going to be as he continues to mature, I was even more convinced of how much of a good fit and how well-equipped he is to step up to this level.”
On the bookings, he added: “It’s the same with any player that picks up a lot of cards and ends up getting suspended. If there’s one or two in there were it’s maybe unnecessary fouls or dissent is involved, you always want to encourage players to get fewer cards because it causes suspension, which is a problem.
“But at the same time, if it’s a player of a younger age like him where his timing is slightly off but he’s trying to make tackles and trying to make physical contact…
“I’ve made it very clear that we maybe want to have a different look about us when we’ve got the ball but we definitely don’t want to lose that tough, aggressive nature and style about us. So when you’re recruiting players, it’s very important that you don’t recruit players that are good going in one direction and then when it comes to the real, basic and honest parts of the game, they’re not ready for it. He’s certainly ready for it.
“If yellow cards are a bit of collateral damage at this point … I’d rather that than urging players to [stop] making tackles, put it that way.”
Tom Bradshaw and Shaun Hutchinson are back in training and the former in particular is in contention to make the matchday squad on Saturday after his hamstring injury.
Edwards was also asked if fans might see more from Obafemi after his 15 minute debut off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Preston last week.
The Lions head coach said: “The stage of the game we brought him on in against Preston was kind of us saying that was the limit we were happy to expose him to. But he was coming through a messy week or two, he wasn’t coming back from an injury so the fact that he was able to get those minutes under his belt in a proper game and now he’s had a full week with us, he’s certainly in a much better position than he was in the Preston game. So yeah, more from him.”
The darts tournament that Edwards mentioned in his press conference last week is still in full swing with club captain Hutchinson among those in the semi-finals. The Millwall boss has enjoyed the competition and how it has brought the squad together.
“I think Hutch is a semi-finalist and that’s as much as I know at the moment – but I keep hearing noises from the canteen,” Edwards said. “Since [last week], they’ve started a league to run alongside it. I think the lads that had been knocked out were feeling a bit left out so now we have a Premier League and a Championship.
“There’s a lot going on. But it’s great because every time you walk through our canteen, even two hours after training has finished, it’s packed out, there’s loads of them in there, they’re having a good time and giving each other stick. So in terms of the spirit of this group, which I’ve never questioned, if anything it’s only enhanced it and it’s a great place to be at the moment at the training ground.”