Timing of Millwall call suggests a possible replacement for Gary Rowett

Even if the Championship was put on hold for a week, there was still a lot of discussion in the division during the international break.

Undoubtedly, one of the most talked-about stories in recent memory was the announcement made by Millwall that Gary Rowett and the team had split.

In fact, the Lions declared on Tuesday night that Rowett had left The Den as a result of a “mutual agreement”.

Club chairman James Berylson made the following statement in the club’s announcement of Rowett’s departure: “We greatly appreciate Gary’s efforts throughout his time in charge and he departs with the best wishes of everybody connected with the club.”

“Despite the short time I have worked directly with Gary, I have thoroughly enjoyed all of our interactions, and I believe that during his four successful years in charge, he has improved the club’s on-pitch status.”

“First and foremost, I would like to thank the fans for all of their support during my time at the club,” Rowett stated in another part of the statement. They really create a unique environment.”

“I have had a great time managing Millwall, and I leave feeling like the team has improved under my direction. Like in football, there are moments when it feels right to call it quits.

“I want to express my gratitude to Alex Aldridge, Steve Kavanagh, John Berylson, James, my backroom crew, and everyone else behind the scenes for their dedication and support.

“Lastly, I want to express my appreciation to the players for all of their hard work and sacrifice—blood, sweat, and tears. These four years have been both fruitful and fun.

At Millwall, who will take Gary Rowett’s place?

Now that the decision mentioned above has been made, one could argue for or against it being the right one.

While some argue that Rowett had run out of time to make a difference, others counter that things had grown stale.

Because of the international break, Rowett’s “idea” time to go would have been right after the final game, giving the team two weeks to locate a replacement and maybe even spend some time on the training field.

But considering that the decision was taken so close to the end of the break, we can’t help but believe that a significant outside factor may have had an impact and may even provide an indication as to who the club may be attempting to hire as their new manager.

The timing of Rowett’s exit may provide insight into his potential successor.

In fact, given how long Rowett has been at the club and the timing of his departure, it could be argued that Millwall and Rowett were waiting for the right moment to make the decision, when a potential replacement was found or had become available. That man could arguably be John Eustace.

If in fact, Milwall decide to target the former Blues boss for their current vacancy. Wayne Rooney was brought in as Eustace’s replacement at St Andrews after Eustace’s departure, which occurred over the international break.

Only time will tell if this theory is correct, but it would certainly explain why Rowett’s exit came at such a strange time, late on in the international break.