Today Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman spoke to the media about the despair of relegation, the reasons it happened and what he intends to do about going forward into the new season and going straight back to League One.
If you’ve been around the last 20 years you probably could of played today’s 22/23 “Winky-Bingo” with a high expectation of crossing off at least seven or possibly eight of Pete’s favoured or most expected lines as with most press conferences.
Did you watch all 42 minutes and 43 seconds ? It’s on www.mkdons.com if you haven’t seen it.
Got to say here. It wasn’t quite what we were expecting or we are used to. We got the fairly regular words in some parts but the delivery was far more subdued and reverent than anyone could have potentially expected. We know Pete has had his back troubles but this wasn’t just a physical discomfort this was a genuine sorrow. He was visibly not the Pete we normally see.
If you think relegation just meant a bit of cash will be lost as a result then you need to know. He experiences the highs and lows fans do. If you saw the car park video you saw a side never seen, upset chairman. Today we heard him sigh and say sorry for the decisions that were taken, reflective chairman.
He can’t sack himself and how many disgustingly megarich people are going to want to buy a club in League Two and invest the time into that sort of project. And before you shout WREXHAM! Deadpool paid a reported £2m for a dead on its arse non league club. “Football costs” were almost £4m in 21/22 …they didn’t achieve promotion. Money doesn’t guarantee anything.
As in any situation you can say anything you think your audience wants to hear. Did you ever expect Pete wanted us to be relegated again? Well of course he didn’t. He makes mistakes, we all do. Sometimes we don’t quite learn from them. If you doubt the levels of spend claimed this season, well thats verifiable, you’ll see them in next years accounts.
Pete will only now be judged on one outcome. Promotion. Not everyone will get the manager they want or like. You may get one you pratically despise for previous allegiances. They won’t arrive soon enough for some, some may feel its a rushed decision if they arrive in the next few days.
The MKDSA standby, as it always has done, in any way it can to move the club forward #togetherasone.
We now play the watching and waiting game. Careful what we wish for eh ?
Don’t blink. Don’t breathe.
