Gillingham’s no-rush approach to finding a new manager is a shot in the arm for interim boss Keith Millen.

Chairman Brad Galinson updated fans in the week about the ongoing process to replace Neil Harris and said he was “confident Keith will keep us on track”.

Millen’s no stranger to the caretaker role, twice filling in at Bristol City, three times at Crystal Palace and also at MK Dons. He took over at Gillingham on an interim basis on Thursday and will take the team to Walsall on Saturday.

While Galinson says they won’t be rushing into an appointment, that’s no issue for Millen.

He said: “I have done this before for days and I have done it for weeks. When I first took over I knew that to survive I had to feel like I am in charge, whether it is tomorrow, next week, the week after, that is the only way you can do it properly.

“I am the manager until told otherwise. You can’t worry about what is happening going forward.

“It is complement to me that they feel like they don’t need to rush and hopefully we get a result on Saturday. If we lose there might be panic stations, but as long as we are performing like we have done for the last couple of games then we have a good chance on Saturday.

“It is nice to hear, of course. You want to win football matches, that is why I love doing the job, I want to win on Saturday as much as anyone, I will do as much as I can to do that.”

Millen has continually distanced himself from the job but admits a few wins could make a difference.

“Things can change,” he said. “I am enjoying what I am doing, 100%.

“Do I think I want the job? No. If we go and win the next few games things might change, you don’t know, then there might be a discussion upstairs. At the moment the discussions aren’t with me, I am carrying on as an interim.”

Millen’s last management role was at Carlisle United but he only lasted four months.

Taking charge of the Gills has given him that buzz back.

“I like that pressure of being on the sidelines,” he said. “That I miss, and the feeling of when you have won, you miss that.

“After Saturday’s game I went home really pleased, Tuesday not so pleased, there are parts of it you enjoy, others can be quite tough.”

Millen, who took Thursday’s pre-match press conference, was asked about what qualities he feels are needed for an incoming manager at Gillingham.

He said: “One that has got a philosophy, like most, a certain style of how they want to play. That is the way the modern game is I think and that whoever comes in has to have their identity. Neil had it with his team and the next manager needs it. What that looks like I don’t know.

“Whoever comes in is coming to a good dressing room, a good group of players, an attractive job for someone. The club is in a good positive mindset. It is a good job for someone.

“The club wants to be promoted, wants to be successful, you’ve got that pressure and whoever comes in has to deal with that but you would rather that pressure at the top of the league than at the bottom fighting relegation. It is mainly coming in and working with the players and getting ideas across that suits them.”

Millen had been brought to the Gills as head of academy coaching and since then he also started taking B Team training.

With Harris departing there’s been a temporary reshuffle, with youth manager Mark Moss helping out with the first-team and coach Jermaine McGlashan taking the B Team. Academy manager Bryan Bull is expected to manage the under-18s at the weekend.

Millen said :”We have the same staff that were here with Neil, they have been supportive, been great, the disappointment is still there because they had a close relationship with Neil, but they are professional and getting on with their jobs and supporting me.

“Mark has been helping on a matchday and that is great experience for him, his coaching pathway. I am pleased he is around me, sometimes as a sounding board.

“I zone off a bit in the dugout area, I know what I want to see, I don’t need too many people in my ear. I am focused on what I am looking at.

“The staff have been good. We have had to mix people around and we are just trying to help each other.”

Fans have seen Millen out with the team pre-match, a task usually left to the coaches, and he admits he need to keep busy during that pre-match period.

He said: “That hour is the worst time for a manager. Everyone is on the pitch and you’re just sitting there, it’s not a good time. I prefer to be on the grass, around the lads.

“Normally, if I was in charge properly, I would go out there but not be involved in parts of the warm-up but I feel I am okay to do that.”