Interim boss Keith Millen takes his Gillingham side to Walsall this weekend looking for their first away League win since mid-August, but insists he doesn’t want the job full-time.

Millen has been talking to KSN about his first week in the Priestfield manager’s seat, and he admitted, “I’m enjoying what I’m doing – do I want the job? No! If we go and win the next few games things might change, you just do not know, then there would be a discussion with upstairs, but now the discussions are not with me, so I am carrying on as Interim.” 

“Last Saturday really wasn’t what I had planned,” Millen admitted after he had been appointed two days before the home game with MK Dons.

“It was very different but in a good way. The nerves in the pit of your stomach were back which I missed. Everything about matchdays – for me as a manager or coach that is what you get paid for – in the ninety or hundred minutes – that is really when you get paid for.”

“I like that pressure of being on the sidelines. That I miss and the feeling of when you have won, I miss that too – after Saturday’s game I went home feeling pleased with myself, whereas Tuesday, I went home not so pleased, so there are parts of it that you really enjoy!” 

After ruling himself out, we wondered what sort of manager Millen believed is needed at Priestfield.

After a bit of thought the interim said, “I think they need one that has a philosophy, like most managers have a style that they wany to play and I think the want that the modern game is now that’s really important – whoever comes in has got an identity to “this is us, this is what a Gillingham team looks like!” Neil had it with his team when he was here, and the next manager needs that in place.”

“What that looks like I do not know! So, that is important – whoever comes in is coming into a good dressing room with a good group of players, so it is an attractive job for someone.”

“The Club is in a good positive mindset I feel, so it is a good job for somebody! Obviously, the Club want to be successful and get promoted, so there will be that pressure and will have to be dealt with by whoever comes in, but you would rather that pressure rather than the pressure at the bottom fighting relegation.” 

“I think that it’s mainly coming in and working with the group of players, getting their points across that suits the players that are here as they are a good group of players down there!” 

Millen has visited Walsall many times down the years and we asked him about any memories – he replied, “I remember going there when Paul Merson was either player-manager or player-coach; going there to face Dean Smith who had a good time as manager where he made his name.”

“I have had some good times there. I remember going there as caretaker manager of Palace in a Cup at the start of the season and we won on the night which hopefully we can do again on Saturday. That was the last time that I went there…” 

“When we came out last Saturday, the supporters were amazing, and it was a good feeling and when you win the game and see people going home smiling, that is the best part of the job really.”

“Even on Tuesday, those who travelled kept singing and I think they appreciated what we were trying to do and that what really important which is why I made sure the players went to them after the game because I’m sure that we’ll have a good following on Saturday and they do play a massive part when we’re successful!”