Play it cool - Parky
Phil Parkinson has called for calm heads when Charlton enter the heat of the battle against South-East London rivals Millwall on Saturday (3pm).
The Addicks take on the Lions at a sold-out New Den for the first time since 1995 and, with both teams gunning for promotion, Parkinson believes a highly-charged atmosphere is on the cards.
He is, however, confident his men can handle the occasion, stating: "It's a case of being up for the derby but playing with cool heads as well. It might start at 100 miles an hour but you've got to have composure in your play as well.
"The lads understand the importance of the game but we've got to make sure they're not too hyped up for it. One thing we've had all season is mental strength. We've got that in abundance in the squad and I'm confident we've got the players to handle it.”
He continued: "Millwall is a different type of atmosphere. It's always hostile but I think their supporters are good fans who demand 100 per cent commitment from the players. If they get that, they back the team."
He added: "I've played at the old Den and the New Den many times so I know what it's all about. It will be a good atmosphere but we're taking 3,000 fans and I'm sure our supporters will play their part. As a player, it's a great game to be involved in and the lads are looking forward to it."
Millwall moved up to fifth spot in League One and within four points of Charlton after a 3-1 win at Carlisle United on Tuesday night.
The Lions also boast an excellent home record and have already sealed victories against the likes of Norwich City, Leeds United, Colchester United and Huddersfield Town this term.
"Irrespective of being a local derby, it's two teams at the top end of the table," said Parkinson. "We're getting to the crunch period of the season so it's a crunch game anyway and added to that it's against our local rivals. Everyone knows the importance of it and it's a match we're looking forward to.
"The way the season has gone, you can't really rule anybody out for automatic promotion. It's been quite unpredictable. At the start of the season it looked like us and Leeds were going to run away with it, but Norwich have now gone past everybody. It's going to be an interesting end to the season so it's all to play for and everyone in that top seven or eight will fancy their chances.
"We're still aiming for the top two. We've got it all to do but we've got Leeds, Norwich and Colchester at home so we've got that advantage."
After losing last season's League One play-off final to Scunthorpe United, Kenny Jackett's Millwall started the season slowly but have quickly gathered pace to become a major player in the division.
"Sometimes you can start slowly after losing in the play-offs," mused Parkinson. "It can take a bit to get going again. I saw them at Carlisle on Tuesday and they're a strong organised team. Kenny's done a good job there, they were struggling when he took over but he's turned them into promotion contenders so all credit to him. One thing about Kenny's teams is that they're all honest and hard-working."
Charlton could come up against Neil Harris on Saturday, although the League One Player of the Month for February is struggling with an ankle knock.
Harris has scored 17 goals this term and Parkinson stated: "He's injured at the moment so whether he'll be fit for Saturday, we'll have to wait and see. But we know all about Neil Harris and his strengths and weaknesses. He's a goalscorer and he'll be up for it."
The two sides drew 4-4 in an incredible game at The Valley last December but Parkinson was hoping for a slightly less stressful affair this time around, adding: "If it's anywhere near as entertaining a game as it was at the Valley, everyone will be happy apart from the two managers!
"They definitely came out of the traps quicker than we did and it took a while for the lads to wake up and realise they were in a local derby. We came back and found ourselves 3-2 up. But we suddenly decided to relax again and ended up drawing the game. We've got to make sure we start well as Millwall start quickly and play at a decent tempo."
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