" Cardiff City players mentally lost to Millwall "

Danny Shittu: I psyched Cardiff City players out in tunnel before 1-0 win

Monday Oct 27, 2014

By Simon Gaskell


The big Millwall defender claims a pre-match routine affected Cardiff City's players mentally before the loss


Millwall defender Danny Shittu says he "psyched out" Cardiff City's players in the tunnel before the Lions' 1-0 win at the Den.

The 34-year-old was captured by TV cameras chatting to the likes of Federico Macheda and Craig Noone before kick-off as the two teams lined up outside the dressing rooms.

He is also said to have performed an 'intimidating war cry' to his own players.

Shittu said afterwards it was all designed to put the frighteners on Russell Slade's visiting side.

It was the 34-year-old himself who scored the winner after heading past David Marshall in the 54th minute.

And, according to Millwall news site News at Den, Shittu said: "Psyching out the opposition is something I do. You've got to get to them before the game starts so you affect them mentally.


"It is something my teammates see and it picks them up as well. They see that the other players crumble.

"I did that and it gave the team a lift.

"It's a bit of intimidation but it's all part of the game.

"Everybody knows I am a nice friendly guy after the game but before the game I want my team to win and I'll do anything I can to help my team mates win."

Asked what exactly he said in the tunnel, Shittu added: "It's a bit of talking, a bit of everything.

"You might have to see it yourself one day and be in the tunnel – it's hard to explain."

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Millwall defender: I wanted Cardiff to "crumble" in tunnel
by Alex Aldridge

October 27, 2014

© Millwall FC
DANNY Shittu has revealed how he "psyched out" Cardiff's players in the tunnel before heading Millwall to a vital three points at The Den.
The defender's intimidating war cry was captured by the TV cameras as the two sides lined up outside the dressing rooms ahead of Saturday's clash.
And Shittu admitted that he was trying to give the Lions a psychological edge by putting the frighteners on Russell Slade's visitors.
The 34-year-old's mind games did the trick as he rose above a timid challenge from Federico Macheda to power in a second-half corner.
Shittu said: "Psyching out the opposition is something I do. You've got to get to them before the game starts so you affect them mentally.
"It is something my teammates see and it picks them up as well. They see that the other players crumble.
"I did that and it gave the team a lift.
"It's a bit of intimidation but it's all part of the game.
"Everybody knows I am a nice friendly guy after the game but before the game I want my team to win and I'll do anything I can to help my team mates win."
Asked what exactly he said in the tunnel, a grinning Shittu added: "It's a bit of talking, a bit of everything.
"You might have to see it yourself one day and be in the tunnel – it's hard to explain."
Shittu made a dream return to the Lions' line up after going seven months without making a league appearance.
Not long ago, he feared his Millwall career would be ended by an Achilles injury.


"There have been times when I've doubted myself – maybe I can't play again," he said.
"I've had to work so hard over these last couple of months. If you'd asked me this six weeks ago I didn't even think I was right then.
"When I felt right and told the gaffer, he was worried about me because he didn't want me to come back and pull it again.
"Obviously he was upset when I did my Achilles injury and he's always been worried about me coming back and doing it again.
"It has been really hard for me – not just physically but mentally as well, especially at my age when you get such a serious injury like that.
"You either crumble or work hard.
"Over the last couple of weeks I've felt amazing and it's down to the hard work they've done
with me and I do feel like I can play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday now."
After so long out, Shittu had to cope with a few pre-match butterflies.
"There was a lot of nerves in the beginning because I wasn't sure," he said.
"All I wanted was for us to win and for me not to make a mistake because I did feel like I was playing my first game in a new team!
"I'd have just taken a win from today, but for everything to go the way it did – thank God for that and I'm happy."
Shittu hailed manager Ian Holloway for keeping his spirits up during the darkest days of his injury lay-off.
The centre back said: "When you're down or he sees the worry in your face, he picks you up. He's the kind of character that comes into the physio room.
"He doesn't hide away. He will be in the physio room in the morning making everybody laugh, making everybody feel comfortable.
"If he does see that you're down he tries to pick you up, tells you to keep going and keep working hard.
"I'm glad I'm part of a club that really works on the players, whether you're playing or not.
"A lot of the time I had to put my head down and just work. I had to concentrate on myself, get myself right.
"I didn't want to be around the team [while I was injured] because I wasn't mentally there.
"A lot of the time I just had to put myself to the side and work hard. When I did feel right the manager started involving me again.
"Even though the last couple of games I haven't been playing he's been telling me about how I've been, how the lads see it and how it affects them.
"I'm just glad I'm able to be where I am now.

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Load of crap imho.

This thing happens all the time in football. We lost on the pitch, not in the tunnel.

Any player that can't handle this should not be playing!

Load of crap imho.

This thing happens all the time in football. We lost on the pitch, not in the tunnel.

Any player that can't handle this should not be playing!

Well our didn't. They played like a bunch of poofs.

Load of crap imho.

This thing happens all the time in football. We lost on the pitch, not in the tunnel.

Any player that can't handle this should not be playing!

Agree totally. If our players can't handle a wind-up merchant, then we have no hope.

Reminds me of an old Brian Clough story. They were in the dressing room at Anfield. Clough told them, 'they've got a big sign as you leave the tunnel onto the pitch. "This is Anfield". Well,....so f******* what! '

Looking at the photo, Noone is a scouser, Macheda a is a Roman. Doubt if either would be phased by a bit of tunnel antics. We lost because we played crap. Just like at Blackpool, and home to Boro and Bournemouth. There was no big, bad Danny Shittu there.

The game WAS partly lost in the tunnel!!

The home advantage is psychological and very little else. Shittu did his job and scored too. The players need to be given mental strength and shown coping strategies. Just saying.

Obviously doesn't work very much... First win since August.

It worked for Danny. He scored.

Maybe that was all he needed to build his own confidence.

The fact they hadn't won for ages makes it worse!!

Full of Shitt

Suppose it is easy to run into the back of someone like le fondre who he is twice as big as.

Try and come across as the big hardman and he's playing against a load of footballers.

If it is true then God help us,the only thing that should intimidate the modern footballer is the opponents ability after all they don't kick each other anymore,Shittu intimidate anyone? Oh for f**k sake

How far up his own arse is he?

Obviously doesn't work very much... First win since August.