{"id":90386,"date":"2022-04-15T06:42:09","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T05:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/millwalls-on-loan-sheffield-united-attacker-on-the-interesting-situation-hes-in-as-rivals-fight-for-top-six\/"},"modified":"2022-04-15T06:42:09","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T05:42:09","slug":"millwalls-on-loan-sheffield-united-attacker-on-the-interesting-situation-hes-in-as-rivals-fight-for-top-six","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/sport\/football\/millwall\/in-depth\/millwalls-on-loan-sheffield-united-attacker-on-the-interesting-situation-hes-in-as-rivals-fight-for-top-six\/","title":{"rendered":"Millwall&#8217;s on-loan Sheffield United attacker on the interesting situation he&#8217;s in as rivals fight for top six"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>OLIVER Burke is in the pretty unique position of trying to deny his parent club a place in the play-offs \u2013 and he made a big contribution towards that last Saturday.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Of course both Millwall and Sheffield United could still make the top six, which would mean he and Luke Freeman &#8211; also on loan from the Blades &#8211; would not be part of the Lions&#8217; challenge.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n<p>Burke got off the mark for Millwall when he scored the third in the 4-1 win over Barnsley as the hosts cut the gap to sixth-place Sheffield United \u2013 who drew at home against Bournemouth \u2013 to four points.<\/p>\n<p>Does Burke have any banter back and forth with his team-mates at United?<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTk0MDU1MjkxOCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n<p>\u201cNot really,\u201d Burke told <em>NewsAtDen<\/em>. \u201cI\u2019m on loan at Millwall and I look at it as I\u2019m a Millwall player. I\u2019m playing for Millwall, the manager believes in me here.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have to care more for the club you\u2019re actually playing for. But obviously it\u2019s interesting. It\u2019s a bit of a scrap. I\u2019m only on loan, I\u2019m still a Sheffield United player but I guess it would be a weird position to be in if we [Millwall] make the play-offs.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzQxNjE4MzAxNiIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1OSBzb3V0aC1lbnRpdHktcGxhY2VtZW50Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Jyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know how it would work. I\u2019m not too sure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Millwall have only been this close to a shot at the top flight at this point of the season a handful of times in two decades.<\/p>\n<p>The Lions know they can\u2019t really afford many slip-ups. Burke explained how they are approaching the run-in.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_84333\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84333\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84333\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Burke-Swansea1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-84333\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oliver Burke scores his first Millwall goal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t really like to think we have so much pressure. We feel as a club already we\u2019ve done so well,\u201d Burke said.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzgwMTgzNTg3OSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n<p>\u201cBut when it gets tight like this with points and such an interesting season so far, you never say never in this league, you don\u2019t know what result you can get. It\u2019s a bit crazy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t really follow [the other games] that much, not really. I usually tend to look at the table and see how we are doing, train hard and try to get results for us.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cObviously everybody talks about it in the dressing room and how close we are, but focussing on the next task in hand is the best thing to do, really, and not dwelling on it too much because that\u2019s when you create pressure on yourself, I think.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s just what we\u2019re like as a group [not talking about the play-offs publicly]. We know we get the best out of ourselves if we don\u2019t really think too much about it. We just go out there and focus on the next game, winning the next game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen you\u2019re more relaxed, you\u2019re not worried about what other games are coming up, what other teams are doing. That piles on other pressures that are not needed at that time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Millwall had just lost two league games in a row when Burke joined and were nine points off sixth. He made his debut as a substitute in the next game, a 1-0 defeat at Blackpool, which meant the Lions were 11 points off the play-offs.<\/p>\n<p>Burke didn\u2019t consider a top-six challenge as a factor when he was weighing up the move in January.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_83272\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-83272\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-83272\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Burke1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"444\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-83272\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Lions were 11 points off sixth after the forward&#8217;s debut against Blackpool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cTo be honest, not really, it wasn\u2019t really a topic spoken about,\u201d Burke said. \u201cEverybody knows Millwall as a club, it\u2019s a very difficult club to play. You could see that when I played against Millwall, it was always a very, very difficult game to play in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew that we\u2019d do very well with the squad that I saw before joining, players with real quality. A lot of people forget that we have a lot of quality within the team. There\u2019s a real togetherness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t really think we\u2019d be where we are in the table now, but it\u2019s not really surprised me after seeing the training since coming in. It\u2019s not a surprise to me now because I\u2019ve seen the players and seen the standard. It\u2019s really good and there is a great morale as well. With that you always have a really good chance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jed Wallace said recently that Millwall maybe don\u2019t get the credit they deserve for the quality of some of their football. Burke tends to agree, though isn\u2019t overly bothered by outside perceptions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t really look into what people think of Millwall as a club and stuff,\u201d Burke said. \u201cI\u2019ve come here on loan and I\u2019m just trying to get the games in and do my very best.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut a lot of people would be shocked if they were to come down to the training ground and watch training, you see the games and the quality of the goals. I agree with that, we don\u2019t really get the credit that we deserve.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome people just see Millwall as a rough, fighting team, but there is a lot of quality there on the pitch as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOther teams will know that, but some people on the outside looking in won\u2019t know that. They just see Millwall and think, \u2018hooligan\u2019, sometimes, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Burke\u2019s goal against Barnsley was his first of the season.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cIt was an amazing feeling. It\u2019s always nice to get on the scoresheet and then obviously in a win in front of the home crowd was a great feeling.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m happy to be back in the team after a bit of a drag with my injury but these things happen, I guess.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause there is so much competition I think you have to make a bit of an impact now with all the boys that are fighting for a spot in the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very happy with it but I know there are lads breathing down each other\u2019s necks to get in the starting team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s healthy competition as well, it\u2019s good for us. I\u2019m happy with the goal and for the team to get the win, which is the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_84346\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84346\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84346\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B-Afobe1-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-84346\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Benik Afobe also scored against Barnsley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Burke has mainly played as a winger in his career but Millwall have used him up front. Last weekend he started as part of a strike force with Benik Afobe.<\/p>\n<p>As well as Burke getting his first goal, Afobe got into double-figures in the league for the first time in six seasons.<\/p>\n<p>Burke is another Lions player who is a big Afobe fan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very, very happy for him,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s really come on this season and you can see with his goals, everybody knows he can do it, it\u2019s what he does.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s enjoying his football and he\u2019s really confident as well. He\u2019s such a great lad, he helped me settle in really well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t mind playing as a striker as well in a two. It all depends on who you\u2019re playing, you can benefit playing as a striker sometimes or on the wing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important to have flexibility in different positions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Image: Millwall FC\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OLIVER Burke is aiming to deby his parent club a play-off place &#8211; though both sides could still make it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16625,"featured_media":75129,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[15418],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-depth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16625"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90386\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}