Mark Jackson is the first casualty following on from the MK Dons relegation at the weekend. It’s inevitable in a results driven business, and it’s quite often the manager (head coach in the modern game), and to many of us, this sacking in particular feels wrong. It’s a total clear out, too, with Robbie Stockdale and others going.
We’ve got through two managers this season, and it could be easily shown that neither were ultimately the problem, and the fans have been scathing and clear in laying the blame, and we fully agree. We saw high profile sales during last season for large amounts, and the replacements have not been anywhere of the calibre lost.
Fans believe the recruitment process is the problem not the two managers and this just adds to the mistrust that has grown this season with fans feeling let down over lost discounts, rising prices for coach travel, far out stripping other clubs travel, conditions in Lewington’s Bar and a growing number of times not being the priority in our own home. Fans are rightly angry at being taken for granted.
Conjecture now begins over who will come in next to take charge.
For us though its not necessarily who it is. Yes, the right recruit is obviously required and desired. But they also need a clearly defined achievement target. It’s as important that they are resourced to the level of the expectation. Are they a long-term appointment or one just to get us out of League Two.
Many will call for experience at this level to get out of the division at the first go. That won’t come cheap, nor funnily, however, does paying up two managers’ contracts in just 6 months. Failure to go up next season will be very costly.
It’s a huge mess that nobody wanted, and its self inflicted to a very large degree. While we take no pleasure in stating that whatsoever, we simply can not experience another season of unprecedented division and mistrust between fans and club. We need this fixed and quickly.
We’d like to place on record our thanks and respect for Mark Jackson.
The Chairman gives his press conference in the morning.
