Interim boss David Livermore insists he is not interested in becoming Millwall’s next permanent manager after his first game in caretaker charge ended with a 1-0 victory over Blackburn.
It was a much-needed triumph for the Lions against a Rovers side that had won their last six games in the Championship and had gone over nine hours without conceding before Mihailo Ivanovic struck in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
It gave Millwall a first victory in seven games, with a first goal in four, and came after Blackburn had to finish with 10 players when captain Lewis Travis went off injured after they had used up their substitution windows.
This was a first experience of management for Livermore, formerly assistant to Neil Harris, since a two-year stint as player-manager at non-league Histon over a decade ago.
Livermore said: “I just think my strength is in supporting others, that’s where I feel I have the most value.
“I was Neil’s assistant for 10 years, I actually managed when I was 30 for two years in the National League and it was a baptism of fire, but it was a good grounding for me.
“I’d never say never, sometimes you get to a crossroad in your career where you might have to take that leap, but I just don’t feel like that’s now.”
On the result itself, Livermore said: “Firstly, I’m delighted with the win.
“There’s nothing better than scoring a 90-plus-whatever-it-was winner at the death at home in front of our own supporters, so I’m really delighted with the result for the lads and for the staff.
“We’ve got really, really good people in that dressing room who have been really supportive this week, the experienced players and the young ones.
“Everyone in the dressing room has really stepped up.”
The closest either team came in a poor first half was when Aynsley Pears saved from George Saville before Joe Rankin-Costello cleared away Japhet Tanganga’s rebound.
Amario Cozier-Duberry looked set to score a breakaway goal for Blackburn early in the second half, only for Femi Azeez to chase back and make a brilliant challenge.
After Travis limped off, Millwall pressed for a winner with Macaulay Langstaff heading Joe Bryan’s cross over and Pears making another good save to deny Saville.
But the Lions snatched it at the death when Ivanovic guided in a free header from Ryan Leonard’s cross from close range.
Blackburn head coach John Eustace said: “I thought it was a really difficult afternoon for both teams, I thought conditions were very tough, but the way the boys battled today was very pleasing.
“It’s something that we do week in, week out and obviously it’s disappointing to concede in the last minute.
“Obviously, it was a big blow to lose Travis with 10-15 minutes to go, but again I still felt comfortable, I didn’t feel like they were going to score.
“There was a lot of pressure, they put more big players on, which is what happens when you come here.
“I thought the way the boys defended overall was excellent and to concede in the last minute was disappointing.
“We also played some good football today – the conditions really hampered that, but we still had two or three really good chances.
“It looks like his (Travis) hamstring, we’ll have to look at that, he’ll get a scan tomorrow.”
