Millwall chief hails City and Blades bosses ahead of clash with Leeds

Millwall boss Neil Harris has hailed the ‘fantastic jobs’ done by Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke and Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, after the Blades boss beat his rival to EFL Awards recognition.

Despite the Canaries sitting four points clear of Wilder’s team at the top of the Championship table with eight games remaining, it was Wilder named as the Championship Manager of the Season this week.

All 72 EFL managers were invited to vote for their players of the season, with votes also compiled for the Championship, League One and League Two teams of the Season.

While City stars Teemu Pukki, Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis were all named in the Championship team for 2018-19, it was Wilder who came out on top for the managerial recognition.

“I won’t say who I picked and break confidence in that. But I’m delighted for Chris Wilder and think him and Daniel Farke have done a fantastic job,” Millwall chief Harris told the South London Press & Mercury. “Anyone at the top of the league has done a great job, of course they have.

“But what I will say about Daniel Farke and Chris Wilder is that they won’t have the budgets like a lot of other teams around them in the division. Someone like Alex Neil at Preston, if he keeps their run going, is having a fantastic season.

“What is success? Success is measured on what your budget is, the players at your disposal that you have got to pick from and where you are in the league.

“With Chris and Daniel maybe expectations were not there for them to occupy the top two spots in May. They have done fantastic jobs.

“Chris is a good football manager who manages with his heart on his sleeve. He loves working at Sheffield United and I’m really pleased for him.”

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Similarly, Millwall captain – and former Norwich striker – Steve Morison has been so impressed by City that he is already confident they will be returning to the Premier League, ahead of the Lions’ trip to third-placed Leeds on Saturday.

“The three of them have been so good. Like, so good,” Morison told the same newspaper. “Sheffield United haven’t just crept into the top two. Leeds haven’t and the same applies to Norwich. They have all been there for the majority of the season. They are there on merit because they have been doing unbelievably well.

“People are going to lose games of football. For Leeds, last week was a bad one to lose because it was against one of their rivals in the battle at the top.

“But we could have a weekend where we beat Leeds but Sheffield United and Norwich both lose their respective games, or draw.

“But whoever ends up in the play-offs out of those three is going to be one heck of a force. Chris Wilder is a vastly experienced manager and he’ll be able to pick them up. (Marcelo) Bielsa – you don’t get much more experienced than that.

“I personally think Norwich will go up, and then it is one from the other two.”