Steve Lomas has become the latest managerial casualty of the season, as Millwall slumped to a fourth defeat in six games on Boxing Day.
The Lions were strictly second best at Vicarage Road, as Watford eased to a 4-0 win in Giuseppe Sannino’s first match since he succeeded Gianfranco Zola. And in all truth, the scoreline could have been even worse for the struggling Londoners, who had to play with just 10 men after Danny Shittu was sent off after just 10 minutes.
Millwall have now won just two of their last 13 matches, and as they slide towards the relegation zone in the Championship, it was all too much for their board who decided after their latest loss to dismiss Lomas after just six months in charge.
“We are very disappointed that it hasn’t worked out for Steve. He has been thoroughly professional in his approach to the job during his short period with the club and remains a very promising young manager,” said CEO Andy Ambler. “However, the board feels that it is in the best interests of Millwall that we make the change at this time and the search for a successor to Steve begins immediately. We wish Steve the very best for the future.”
Speaking after the defeat to the Hornets, Lomas spoke as if he knew the writing was on the wall for him: “I always knew the situation but the buck stops with me. The majority of the budget was gone and we had to spend money for up front but couldn’t address the defensive side of it and it’s shown. Five sending’s off in 22 games don’t help.”
The Ulsterman becomes the seventh managerial casualty in the Championship this season, and he has been replaced by Neil Harris on a caretaker basis. However, the 36-year-old club legend has already ruled himself out of the running to take the job permanently, and besides, it is believed the club will turn to a more experienced option.
