In the summer transfer window, Cresswell signed a season-long loan with the Championship side Millwall in an effort to increase his game time for his future development.
Despite scoring three goals and laying on one assist in his first ten appearances for the Lions, the 20-year-old was left out of four consecutive matchday squads before last weekend’s 2-1 win against West Bromwich Albion.
Rowett praised the Leeds loanee for his character and resilience during his spell out of the Millwall side and is of the opinion that the player will benefit from this experience in the long term.
The Millwall boss is of the view that Leeds will be pleased with the different facets of learning Cresswell is receiving with the club and believes that he will be a much more mature player when he returns to Elland Road at the end of the season.
“He has shown character and resilience, and he will benefit from it in the long term – that’s my personal opinion”, Rowett told the South London Press.
“No career of a young player is just a straight line right to the top.
“There are lots of loanees in our division who expect to come in and absolutely smash the Championship, but it doesn’t work like that – it’s a brutal league.
“I think that Leeds will be pleased with the fact that the loan has had different facets to it.
“At some point, he will go back to Leeds, a much more well-rounded player.
“But he wants to get back in our team and he wants to play every week.
“He will have an opportunity to do that.”
With Millwall defender Shaun Hutchinson expected to return after the 2022 World Cup break, Cresswell will eye the vacant spot in the starting line-up in Rowett’s side.
