WHILE Zian Flemming has taken much of the spotlight in SE16 so far this season, Billy Mitchell’s hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Supporters were already impressed by his passing range and work ethic in previous seasons, but many believe that this could be his breakout campaign after showing a marked improvement.
The midfielder has regularly been voted as Millwall’s Man of the Match, and in an incredibly competitive lineup, he’s remained almost ever-present so far this season, playing in 15 of the Lions’ 16 Championship games.
However, Gary Rowett doesn’t necessarily see his improvement in the same way as many supporters do, telling NewsAtDen that he was playing at a similar level in the 2021-22 campaign.
“Personally, I think Billy was like that last season,” the Millwall boss explained.
“For him to play so many games last year in front of many experienced midfielders showed the level of the performances that he’s been at.
“He’s a young player, so again, like the team, you’re always going to have some ups and downs in that progression. If you look at when Billy first came into the team and you look at him now, he’s had a really nice progression in terms of improvement along the way.
“We still think there’s areas where we can improve him physically, we still think there’s areas where he can improve that forward passing range that we know he’s got. He’s starting to really try and play forward and affect those attacking areas with his service and his running.
“I’ve been really pleased with him but he’s a young player. I’ve said to him, if he wants to get where he wants to be, there’s a difference between being a good Championship player and being a potential Premier League player. That’s what he has to aim for.
“He’s the type of lad that just wants to work. He stays out there every day to do extra, and I think he’ll get the reward for his attitude. Where that will take him, who knows? He’ll work as hard as he can to get there, that’s what I love about Billy.”
However, there’s no denying that Mitchell has benefited from playing alongside some incredibly experienced teammates. Above all, he’s formed a strong partnership with George Saville, which Rowett believes will do wonders for his development across the course of the season.
“Sav, when he’s playing with that quality, composure and confidence like he has done in the four games, will always help a young player alongside him.
“I thought on Saturday, alongside Shacks [Shackleton], Billy got the same level of performance. When we needed him and Shacks to step up, they stepped up the energy in the second half and took the game to West Brom.
“There’s some really good signs with some of our younger players. Like I said, I don’t see Billy Mitchell and Danny McNamara as just young lads in the team who are Millwall fans, I see them as top players that can help us get better and we can help them get better.
“They have to be aspirational with their performances but I’ve been pleased with Billy. I don’t necessarily think this year has been so much better than last year, but I think he’s slowly but surely getting those incremental games that will help him along the way.”
Photo: Millwall FC