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Millwall fans taunt Japhet Tanganga during 1-0 win as he awaits his move to Sheffield United

Millwall fans took to taunt Japhet Tanganga during their side’s 1-0 win as he awaits his move to opponents Sheffield United.

Luke Cundle’s first-half goal proved decisive, and despite a strong second-half push from the Blades, including chances denied by Millwall goalkeeper Steven Benda’s superb saves and Harrison Burrows hitting the post, the visitors held on for their second league victory in three games.

This leaves winless Sheffield United bottom of the Championship, piling pressure on new manager Ruben Selles amid boos from fans after the final whistle.

Millwall fans took opportunity to taunt Sheffield United and Japhet Tanganga by singing “You’re going down with Tanganga” and “Japhet, what’s the score?!” while he applauded the away end with the squad.

Millwall manager Alex Neil confirmed that defender Japhet Tanganga’s transfer to Sheffield United has advanced but isn’t finalised.

Neil was asked by NewsAtDen about Tanganga: “What I can tell you about Japhet is, Japhet, since I’ve been here, has been nothing but a consummate professional,” Neil said.

“At no point did Japhet tell me or anybody else that he didn’t want play today. So Japhet wanted to play the game. He was available to play the game.

“The decision was made by me, after I spoke to Jimmy, the owner, and Steve Gallen, the director of football, about what we wanted to do with this.

“What I felt today was, it was better to take him out of the firing line and go with the guys who are obviously in a good mental space and ready to play.

“But I want to make it clear again, Japhet at no stage refused to play today, at any point. In fact, if anything, it was the opposite, and I made a decision for him.”

On Tanganga’s future at Millwall, Neil said: “The fact that I took him out of the game, obviously, things have moved on.

“As far as I know, things are not at a conclusion stage just now. I had a good chat with Japhet earlier today. So we’ll see what transpires over the next couple of days.”

Sheffield United boss Ruben Selles said to BBC Radio Sheffield after the game:

“It’s a tough one to take. In the first half we were not the team we want to be. The second half was completely different and we played a game of football. We created situations to score and recognise the team we want to be.

“I didn’t change a bit in the half-time. It was our application that changed.

“Right now we are in a tough situation. But we need to start to show a bit more, especially in the beginnings of the game. We can’t wait to go behind before we start our game.

“I am not about to open the book of excuses. It is me as the first one to do my job better, it is always like that. After analysing my performance, and what I want to do with the team, comes the rest.

“We created enough situations, but it is about how we do it. We have the quality and the positions, but sometimes football is like that.”

Selles, per Sky Sports:

“The first 10 minutes, we were on top of the game, trying to create, trying to generate, being aggressive.

“I think we lost a little bit of organisation and started to lose duels in the middle of the pitch, allowing perhaps too much in the first half. And then we conceded a goal after a corner.

“I think we can recognise the team that we were in the second half, going for the game, playing, attacking, creating situations to score.

“And yeah, we are in the situation right now where all those situations are not going in our favour so we will need to keep fighting.

“I think if we talk about transfer window, change, new project, all those things, we will be making excuses. I think what we are missing is to make a robust performance for 90-95 minutes.

“To be the team that we want to be in terms of connections, in terms of football, in terms of defensive passion, in terms of attacking, aggression, that we want to be for a full entire game, not only in moments of the game.”

Millwall boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio London:

“I thought we started a bit sloppy, but I was very pleased Luke Cundle got his goal. The second half was very different, we had to dig in and you could see a lot of players were dead on their feet.

“We all had to dig in and the goalkeeper made some unbelievable saves in the second half. So yes, it was a terrific effort from everybody.

“Last week against Middlesbrough in the last half hour we didn’t run as hard as we normally do. This week was about making sure we do the basics and we did that from the first minute to the last.”

Neil, per Sky Sports:

“Sheffield United are a good side, aren’t they? I know it’s been a difficult start for them but what they’ve got, they’re a good team.

“Most of these players last year finished the season really strongly, finished with 92 points, something ridiculous like that.

“We needed our goalkeeper to make I think two great saves, one from Hamer, one from Barry down to his other corner.

“But certainly for us you could see how light we are today in terms of personnel. We were stretched to the max.

“There was going to be a spell where it was going to be backs against the wall, defend your box, do the basics, and, yeah, relying on your goalkeeper at times. And that’s how it panned out.

“We’re just delighted we got the win. I think when this team, when this club’s got adversity against us, it’s probably when we’re at our best. I thought today was a typical Millwall performance where everything’s against us and we managed to dig one out.”

Here’s how Twitter users reacted after Millwall fans decide to taunt Japhet Tanganga during the 1-0 win as he awaits his move to Sheffield United…

@CalMosAnalysis: Millwall fans, top banter 👏🏻 Credit to Tanganga here btw. Most players would shy away from their own fans when set to depart – he didn’t. #MillwallFC 🔵

@YvonneM28: They need more than Japhet!

@Jose_Kelliniho: I actually think he knows what he’s doing. He wants to get us the most money. I think he does love our club and we aren’t just a stepping stone. Like esse, they could go for nothing but go somewhere where we can get as much back. Thanks for all your hard work japh!

@MillwallMuseum: Good to see he came out to show his respects and took it all in good jest! Great player for us but the game moves on. Take that result all day 💙🦁

@Jesseedwardsmfc: Great player but move on don’t applaud us out of pity

@MattRich1969: Yeah tbf it took balls to do that. He was getting it throughout the game so he knew he’d get some at the end but I appreciated him coming over and appreciating us for the last time. Now let’s spend some of that money.

@bridportlion: Fair play to him 🦁

@groundsmendean: Millwall and tanganga was a perfect fit at the right time, we needed his quality and he needed a platform to get his career back on track. I still scratch my head we managed to sign someone if his quality ❤️ he doesn’t owe us nothing and both him/club are financially better off

@belgraveroadrec: Must admit he took it, and smiled it off.

@updemblades24: If Tanganga signs for us then he needs to give his head a serious wobble. We must be paying him well 🤣🤣

@tysonpunched: Has the ink dried yet? I would be having second thoughts.

@Mozzaa92: Considering it’s Millwall, quite tame – he’s a lucky lad it’s actually quite nice/banter 😅😂

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