Croydon Athletic Manager Keith Millen Reflects on 5-0 Defeat to Ramsgate
Croydon Athletic manager Keith Millen didn’t mince his words following his side’s heavy 5-0 defeat to Ramsgate, admitting that his team were well and truly beaten by a superior side. Speaking to the press after the final whistle, Millen expressed his disappointment and frustration, acknowledging that his side had been outclassed in every aspect of the game.
“Obviously, very disappointed,” Millen said. “We’ve got to hold our hands up today and say we were beaten by the much better team in every aspect. When you’re playing against a team like Ramsgate, who are aiming for promotion, you have to compete at the very least, and today, we didn’t even do that.”
Reflecting on his team’s performance, Millen was candid about the gap between Croydon Athletic and the level required to push for a playoff spot. “I think today was a realisation of how far away we are from that level. We’re a team that got promoted via the playoffs last season, and we’re trying to compete in a new league. But today really shows us the level we need to reach,” he said.
Despite the heavy scoreline, Millen highlighted a few moments where his team could have found themselves in front. “We actually probably should have gone 1-0 up early on. David [Omilabu] had a good chance, and we had a couple of decent opportunities. But when you look at the full 90 minutes, Ramsgate were a level above us, and that’s not a slight on our players, it’s just the reality of where we are right now.”
Millen was keen to emphasise that this defeat shouldn’t be used as an excuse but rather a lesson for the squad. “We were woefully short today,” he admitted. “But if the players can see that this is the level they need to be at to compete for promotion, then it’s a lesson learned. It’s opened my eyes to the level we need to reach.”
Looking ahead, Millen was hopeful for a quick bounce-back, with his side set to face another challenge on Wednesday. “That’s the beauty of football – there’s always a quick turnaround, and Wednesday gives us the perfect opportunity to bounce back,” he said. However, he acknowledged that the squad’s current injury issues had made it difficult to put out a fully fit team. “We were short on depth today. I had three subs who were really just filling numbers, as they weren’t fit to play. But again, that’s not an excuse. We were overrun by a very good side.”
Millen continued to ponder ways of making the team more competitive, admitting the squad’s inconsistency had been an ongoing issue. “I’m trying to find a way to set us up that gives us more of an identity,” he said. “At the moment, we’re inconsistent, and we need to sort that out.”
Despite the heavy defeat, Millen’s focus remains on improving the team, with his sights firmly set on the long-term goals of promotion and success. “We’ve got to hold our hands up today and accept that we were second best. Ramsgate were very good, and we have to learn from this.”
As Croydon Athletic look to recover from this tough loss, Millen’s challenge will be to instil the lessons of this defeat and ensure that his side can return to competitive form in their next outing.
