Adam Barrett is Millwall’s assistant manager with 25 years in football and counting
Adam Barrett joined Millwall as a First Team Development Coach in March 2017 after a 19 year long playing career. The former centre half made 735 appearances for nine clubs during his career, retiring at Southend United.
Barrett was quick to turn from player to coach, only having a month’s rest from football after retiring in the January but he had no problem with the transition.
He said: ‘It was quite easy. I was lucky enough to have a long-playing career, so I was ready to retire, it wasn’t forced upon me.
‘Neil Harris (Millwall manager at the time) gave me the opportunity to come in, he wanted someone fresh out of the dressing room. I was in a good place mentally because I was happy to retire from playing and I was excited about the next opportunity.
‘I had been coaching already. I’ve had my academy set up for four or five years now and I’d just completed my A licence at the time.’
Adam Barrett had plenty of experience playing in the football league, and to make over 700 appearances during a career is no easy feat. His experience gained has been vital to his coaching career so far.
‘I was Captain of five different clubs, and I had that leadership role. Being a leader, a voice, being someone that’s helped people has always come naturally to me so that has been a big help.
‘Promotions, relegations, tough times, good times. It gives you a real good ground in how to talk to people in the dressing room, understand when they might need an arm around them or when they might need a bit of a rocket up the backside.
‘The experiences I went through as a player really helped in managing certain situations. I’ve had a lot of good times and bad times throughout and I think that’s really helped me to coach.
‘I was always someone who wanted to help others, so going into coaching it felt natural to help the lads. Sometimes you help a player which has nothing to do with football.’
Barrett took charge of The Lions briefly in 2019 after Neil Harris’ resignation as Millwall manager. During that time Barrett guided Millwall to beat rivals Leeds United 2–1 in a memorable moment in his short time as caretaker manager.
‘I loved it, I like the responsibility and I had no problem with the pressure of it all. The club were very supportive in that time. Even Neil who left was very supportive and I was delighted that the club then wanted me to stay and be involved.
‘It was another little bit of experience for me to gain along the way.’
Barrett continued in his original role to support new manager Gary Rowett until the summer of 2020, when the jump to assistant manager became permanent.
‘I’m very happy at the football club. The gaffer (Gary Rowett) came in, and I’d like to think I earnt his trust and showed him I was good at my job. He made me assistant, which I was delighted to be, and we’ve got a really good working relationship.
‘I’d like to think that the club’s moving in the right direction. It’s been nice to work with a different manager as well as I worked with Neil for a couple of years. To work with someone else now has been great for me and my learning.’
The Lions’ assistant manager definitely has his hands full during the season with preparations vital to be prepared for upcoming games.
Barrett said: ‘We (the coaching staff) all watch the opposition, probably three of their previous games. We go through a lot of the set plays, for and against and then we come up with training sessions that adapt to who we’re playing.
‘Monday, Tuesday, are more working days, more on the fitness and generic sessions. Then we go into Thursday, where now it’s more individual, it’s more the team shape, the details of how we’re going to play and what we’re going to do out of shape.
‘Then there’s recruitments, we’re always looking at players now for the next transfer window, so the week is pretty full and filled with lots of stuff, but it’s something which I love doing- it’s fantastic.’
Into his third year as assistant manager for Millwall, Barrett is ‘enjoying’ his role but wouldn’t be afraid of managing a team in the future.
‘It’s no secret I’d like to manage one day. I thoroughly enjoy what I’m doing now and I’m really happy where we are as a football club.
‘I see myself managing one day. I’d like to have a crack at that but at the moment I’m enjoying what I’m doing and long may that continue.’
