Millwall head coach Neil Harris has admitted he was “surprised” by the departures of three senior members of the club’s hierarchy at the end of last week.
Lions owner James Berylson decided to part ways with chief executive Steve Kavanagh, director of football operations and recruitment Alex Aldridge, and chief operating officer Billy Taylor.
Mark Fairbrother, who previously served as chief financial officer at the club, has returned as managing director of non-football operations, while Steve Gallen has been appointed the new director of football.
“I was surprised by last week’s decisions that some senior figures would be leaving the football club,” Harris told the South London Press. “I can only comment on my personal relationships with Steve, Alex, and Billy, and say that they are all fantastic human beings – really good family men – who were instrumental in driving so much success at our club over a long period.
“When they move on to their next roles, I wish them every success and look forward to staying in touch with them.
“I’ve been in the game a long time as a player, coach, and manager, so I’m very accustomed to moments of change, surprise, and adversity at all levels.”
Gallen is returning to club football for the first time since leaving Charlton in August 2023. At Charlton, he held various roles due to structural changes during the transition of ownership from Roland Duchatelet to Thomas Sandgaard, and he worked alongside manager Lee Bowyer when they achieved League One play-off success in 2019.
Gallen had recently been re-united with Bowyer after he took charge of Montserrat.
“My relationship moving forward will be close to Steve Gallen,” said Harris. “He is coming in as director of football. We’ve already held discussions on plans, how we see the transfer window going, what we think we need to improve in the window and what the club philosophy is going to be in the transfer window next season, along with the expectation.
“It is our job to work as a collaborative unit, with the recruitment team, to make sure we sign the right players to help us improve from last season.”
Kavanagh has presided over a period of extended stability for Millwall that has seen them not only consolidate Championship status but also achieve major milestones.
Only last week the club secured a new 999-year lease for The Den which hands them lucrative development rights. Millwall also received planning permission in October 2022 for a new training ground site in West Kingsdown.
Berylson talked after the new lease agreement of the South Londoners becoming “serious challengers” to reach the Premier League.
The American assumed control in July after his father John passed away in a road traffic crash.
Asked about Berylson’s ambition of top-flight football, Harris said: “The club always has to have a vision of what the end product is.
“The club has moved forward so much the whole time the Berylson family have invested in the football club and Jimmy wants to continue striving for us to be better.
“The extension of the (stadium) lease is a huge, huge positive for so many reasons, off the pitch and on the pitch.
“Ultimately we have to keep believing and dreaming that one day we can get to the top level in world football and play in the Premier League.
“We also know we have to do it in a sustainable way but also in a way where we are methodical in what we do. That is why this transfer window is as important as always.
“We had a really strong finish last year and I as head coach, coming back into the football club in February, want to make sure we keep striving to move forward and try to get closer to those top-six positions.”
One of the jobs for Gallen’s in-tray will be resolving the future of Zian Flemming.
Our paper exclusively revealed that the agency representing the Dutchman are pushing for their client to move on this summer.
Flemming has one more season on his current deal with a club option of a further 12 months.
Aldridge played a key role in removing a sell-on clause that Fortuna Sittard had on one of their former players before Berylson passed away.
Ipswich have been closely monitoring Flemming, with Spanish clubs like Alaves also showing interest. However, most foreign clubs seem to prefer a loan deal with an option to buy.
Millwall has agreed on a fee with Tottenham for Japhet Tanganga, but the next challenge is to agree on personal terms with the former England U21 international.
Tanganga, who had a successful loan spell with Millwall in the latter half of last season, is likely to have options both within and outside of England.
“If you look at the cold facts, we’re not facing a massive turnover of players – not double figures like some teams,” said Harris. “We have loan players who have returned to their parent clubs, and naturally, there will be players leaving this window by either individual choice or club decision.”
“There will also be the thought process of players going on loan in the short to mid-term before coming back to help us.
“We will have to recruit players so we have a balanced squad for the system I want to play next year and strength in depth for the first half of the season when we have league action but also EFL Cup games.
“We have got a lot of work to do but certainly player-wise it is not completely wholesale changes.
“When there is a change of leadership at a football club then relationships take a time to build.
“The personnel in building those relationships need to try and be seamless – work together to build a rapport as quickly as possible.
“I have a very long-standing and strong relationship with Jimmy and that continues.
“Steve comes in to work with the recruitment team, the football department and the academy – to help us drive forward.
“For me, the recruitment plans were set in motion months before I arrived. Although the head coach has a say in the recruitment process, it remains driven by the club – that hasn’t changed in this case.
“At Millwall, recruitment will continue to be club-led, as it should be.
“I am a part of that process and look forward to collaborating with Steve and the recruitment department to secure the right players.
“For me, nothing changes. My job is to ensure I have a strong relationship with the players and that they are prepared to start pre-season on June 26.”
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