Bristol City boss Millen: We'll work hard to put things right now
KEITH Millen is promising to work "morning, noon and night" in a bid to revive Bristol City's fortunes.
Beaten in two of their opening four npower Championship fixtures and still without a win, the Robins are in the bottom three with just two points from a possible 12.
A significant influx of new players and a series of injuries to key personnel have proved disruptive and City have conceded an alarming 12 goals in five games so far this season.
Those defensive frailties are giving cause for concern among the management team and new boss Millen insisted there is still a good deal of work to be done before things can improve.
City's players now have two weeks without a game during the break for international matches, and Millen is promising to leave no stone unturned in his search for a winning formula.
He said: "It's not like they need a rest – we're only four games into the season. They certainly don't need days off to recover.
"We'll sit down and analyse what we need to do and I'll be very surprised if anyone suggests we need three days off next weekend.
"We have to do everything we can to be right for the next game and, if that means training every day, then that is what we will do. I'm prepared to work morning, noon and night to improve us.
"I'll be honest with the lads and we'll have a good meeting and discuss everything that has happened and that needs to happen.
"Then we'll work very hard to put it right."
City return to action at Scunthorpe on Saturday week and Millen said: "This break has probably come at the right time for us.
"It's been a turbulent couple of months, with a lot of players coming in and a few moving on. Trying to get a settled team has been difficult and the injuries we have had have not left me with many options, especially in the back four.
"These players have the shirts at the moment but, if they don't perform, others will get their chance. You need competition for places and we haven't had that. We're getting that back now and those players currently in the team know they have to do the business or else move aside.
"We also need more opportunity to work on things in training. It's obvious we are conceding too many goals and we have to defend better as a team. That comes from being organised and keeping a solid shape, things you can work on in training.
"We now have 12 days or so to work together and help the team to gel."
Millen has not ruled out doing further business in the transfer market before this evening's transfer deadline.
He is tracking two defenders and believes there is an outside chance at least one of them could join on a permanent basis by the end of today.
Far more likely at this late stage is that Millen will have to wait until the loan market re-opens next week before strengthening his squad. He is understood to want to sign a left-back and a centre-half. At least two players could be heading out of the club on loan before the deadline in what is likely to be a busy day at Ashton Gate.









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by Raymond Pilkington, Marshfield
Friday, September 03 2010, 5:31PM
“Oh, so are we to presume the official poll you conducted was infact another fabricated falsehood ?
Apology accepted.
The first rule of any job is to prove you are up to it, otherwise you get fired.
I thought most teenagers had grasped that concept ?
Chris, you have dropped yet again in my estimations.
Rest assured if my busy social life takes a dip and I have nothing better with my life than cuddle up to 606'ers, I'll sign up.
Your apology for sickening references to wife beating was gratefully received !
Have a great weekend glued to the internet.”
by Chris, Bristol
Friday, September 03 2010, 5:19PM
“Well Raymond, if you think you can converse with the fans on 606 i dare you to sign up.
Lets see what you are made off.
Of course, you are correct in one aspect, which is a first, Keith has people primed and ready, waiting for him to fail, just so they can get on his back and say i told you so.
That just underlines the appalling nature of the likes of you Raymond, you are more determined to be right about predicting gloom than to support your team.
The point here, has been proved, by you.
Here is the end of the lesson.”
by Raymond Pilkington, Marshfield
Friday, September 03 2010, 5:02PM
“Now Chris will have us believe he has done an official poll of Bristol City fans to confirm that his opinion is the majority view ?
Utter delusional madness. Comments like that do little for your credibility.
And then you compare a few constructive comments about a football team to the very serious subject of wife-beating.
That is a pretty low thing to say Chris.
Did you go out drinking at lunchtime ?
As for your mates on the 606 board; like you they are blind sheep.
As an example it is a well know fact they predict City will win almost every week.
Commendable but they would soon wake up and smell the coffee if they had to back their wild misplaced assumptions with cold hard cash in a bookmaker.
Bottom line Chris, Keith has a very short honeymoon period to turn this around and I would be surprised if fans are prepared to wait six months for results to improve.”
by steve, da west
Friday, September 03 2010, 4:30PM
“that ray seems like a dull bloke, boring!”
by Chris, Bristol
Friday, September 03 2010, 2:45PM
“The point was, he played at a professional level, that was the actual point which, again, you missed! Which is very different to not playing at all.
To constantly speak out, in a negative manner, is a funny way of caring. That's comparable to the man who beats his wife, because he loves her. Its just wrong!
Point to note, you are what's known, amongst the fans, as the vocal minority, which, as we have seen only serve as a detriment to the club. Digest that for a minute!
On alot of Bristol City football forums, my view, is in the majority, which is why I suspect you air your, rather disturbing views, on here!”
by Raymond Pilkington, Marshfield
Friday, September 03 2010, 1:50PM
“Your opinion is only 'more balanced' in your opinion - that pretty much counts for nothing.
As I proved with Mourinho, you don't have to be a great player to understand the game.
I think there are few supporters who will sit in the stand and wear a daft smile for the next six months if the management and team continue underperforming.
A word of warning, you will quickly find yourself in the minority again.
Speaking up shows I care about the club Chris.
Marshfield is far from dank and murky on a day like this.”
by Chris, Bristol
Friday, September 03 2010, 12:50PM
“Raymond, Raymond, Raymond,
There you go again, speaking, in a cyber sense, before thinking..
Of course, as im sure you are aware, Mr Mourinho was a professional player in the lower leagues in Portugal, so he wasn't a world class player but still pretty decent by normal standards, as was his father who actually played for Portugal. So once again, I highlight another statement by you and thoroughly rip it apart.
Also, when did I say you were not allowed or indeed entitled to an opinion? I didn't, so there is no need to remind me of that. Of course, you understand the nature of discussion in a public forum such as this? Therefore, I, like you, can also voice my opinion and, like you, I don't care who it upsets.
However, unlike you, my opinion is more balanced, well thought out and certainly more positive, whereas yours is clearly borne out of pig ignorance and self importance.
I don't why people like you follow City, clearly the club will never please you, whatever they do, so why bother? That is, if you actually bother leaving the dank and murky hills tops of Marshfield, which is the only high ground you will ever occupy, to watch city.”
by Stephen Green, Hambrook
Friday, September 03 2010, 12:27PM
“Whilst Chris is a bit of a doughnut at times i belive that he has a point here.
The club is in a mess at the moment so no one should expect an instant solution but we can expect to see improvement within 6-8 weeks.
Mr Lansdown is not going to have a complete clear out at the club, thats just an unthinkable suggestion for any football club, except for the likes of Man City or Chelsea.
The international break, as Chris says, couldnt have come at a better time.
Lets get behind Milly and the boys in Red”
by Raymond Pilkington, Marshfield
Friday, September 03 2010, 12:25PM
“Chris,
Put your illustrious Sunday League career to one side Chris [yawn].
Jose Mourinho was a relatively poor footballer but makes a world class manager.
Sadly, because you have a very low breaking point, and subsequently decided to fill your post with vitriol and childish digs you once again failed to get across any credible points.
I will take the moral high ground here by refusing to lower myself to your level so will stop short of reeling off a rather long list of your abhorrent traits.
Don¿t forget, I am just saying what I think Millen should do.
My opinion, I am entitled to it, and I couldn¿t give a hoot if it upsets you.
Millen claims he knows the players, the club and what is required.
Time to prove it Keith.... the clock is ticking....”
by Chris, Bristol
Friday, September 03 2010, 10:43AM
“Raymond,
Self deception and indeed, self flattery are ugly traits! You haven't got me rattled far from it.
What you fail to realise is that time must be afforded for anything to work and succeed, its not as simple, or as black or white as you, rather foolishly, proclaim. Football is a simple game, but to achieve the right balance is quite tricky. I know you cannot grasp this fact, as people like you always moan about something without being in a position of knowledge. You must understand that players need a little time to work out understandings with each other, I suspect that you are not able to understand this point because of a lack of time spent actually playing the game instead of merely watching. There has been many injuries and player movement, any manager would struggle, indeed it pushed the great Steve Coppell over the edge.
Its time to come out of the box, take off the blinkers and look at the real issues at hand from a unbiased, neutral perspective. Forget that you hate Millen because of his ties with GJ and afford the man some time to get it right, he at least deserves that. Otherwise, you and the other (constant) nay sayers will, as I warned, drag this club back into league one. Which would be sad for all real fans of the club. But that wont bother you, it just gives you another reason to say "I told you so", even though you have, actually, told us nothing.
Are you a politician? You come across that way, as you are full of hollow ideas but they always lack real substance.”