WHAT MORE CAN HE GIVE ME?
Warnock aims to tie up ‘dream’ signing Dunc
NEIL WARNOCK has hailed Duncan Watmore as “a manager’s dream’’ and urged him to sign a new deal.
The forward, released by Sunderland in the summer, is rebuilding his career down the A19 with Middlesbrough.
Watmore had two cruciate ligament injuries in his seven years at the Black cats – the second in a game against the Lions in 2017.
But after signing a short-term deal last month, the one-time England Under-21 international has done more than enough to convince Warnock he deserves a longer contract.
Watmore bagged his second brace in a fortnight as Boro added to Millwall’s problems with three goals in the opening 20 minutes. “I told him before the game at Preston the other night, it doesn’t matter how badly you play, you have a deal,” said boss Warnock.
“I wanted to reassure him. He’s probably glad he didn’t sign it before scoring two more goals. He’s probably got a bit more now!
“He’ll have other offers, others watching. It’s up to him. He has a great chance here with a great manager, great group of lads, at a great club. The grass isn’t always greener. He’s a smashing lad, a manager’s dream, but he needs us as much as we need him.”
Watmore opened the scoring in the 13th minute and added a second after team-mate Marcus Tavernier’s superb strike.
Millwall are under intense scrutiny after some fans booed their players for taking a knee before a home game with Derby. Neither side took a knee at the Riverside, with both teams standing together to display an Inequality – United For Change anti-racism banner.
After 10 games without a win boss Gary Rowett is demanding a response at Bristol City tomorrow night. He said: “We have to react in a positive way and salvage some pride.”
MIDDLESBROUGH: Bettinelli 7, Dijksteel 7 (Roberts 88), Fry 7, McNair 7, Bola 7, Saville 7, Morsy 7, Tavernier 7 (Wing 80), Watmore 8 (Spence 72, 5), Johnson 7 (Coulson 79, 5), Akpom 6 (Assombalonga 72, 5)
MILLWALL: Bialkowski 6, Hutchinson 5, Pearce 5 (Bodvarsson 23, 5) Cooper 5, Romeo 5 (Thompson 60, 5), Leonard 5, Woods 5, Malone 5, J Wallace 5 (Ferguson 80), Bennett 5 (Smith 60, 6), Parrott 5 (Burey 59, 5)
MAN OF THE MATCH