MK Dons: Owner Pete Winkelman expects 'brave' choice for new head coach
- Published
MK Dons were beaten by a last-minute Fleetwood Town goal on Saturday
MK Dons owner Pete Winkelman expects the club will make a "brave" appointment when choosing a successor for head coach Liam Manning.
The 37-year-old was sacked on Sunday with the Dons next to bottom of League One following only one win in 11 games.
Manning was in charge for 16 months and led the team to the play-offs last season before losing to Wycombe.
"I really liked him. I gave him the job instantly once I met him," Winkelman told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"He did a fantastic job for us last year. He took over in chaos and mayhem and steadied the ship. This year, it's all gone completely wrong.
"He's not the only person to blame, there's obviously lots of circumstances behind this, he hasn't become a bad coach or bad manager overnight, but he picks the team, he chooses the way we're going to play, and if that isn't being effective, that's why that is the first change."
The task of identifying potential candidates will fall to sporting director Liam Sweeting, who recommended Manning, previously the boss of Belgian club Lommel.
"I'm going to follow that path again. Knowing us, we'll be brave. Knowing us, we'll get criticised for whatever we do. But we are that kind of club, that gives opportunities - that's part of our DNA and that's really what we want to see reflected in our team," said Winkelman.
"The players we signed this year, I was excited about each and every one of them. Whether they've gelled together in the way we hoped and expected, that's obviously not the case.
"I am hoping that a new voice, whatever that voice may be, can help everyone get back on track."
Winkelman said he was "absolutely horrified" about where the team are in the league and is hoping a replacement for Manning will soon be identified.
"I expect he'll [Liam Sweeting] narrow it down to one or two people that he'll want me to meet and I'm hoping that process will happen in the next week," Winkelman said.
"We're trying to go quite quickly. At the same time, you've got to have somebody that you believe in."
Big week ahead for Dons
Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Fleetwood Town was Manning's final game in charge and the Dons have taken just 15 points from their 20 league games so far this season.
Dean Lewington has played more than 750 league games for MK Dons
Long-serving defender Dean Lewington has been named as interim boss and following Tuesday's Papa John's Trophy game against Bristol Rovers, they will travel to Portsmouth in the league on Saturday.
They then have a big night ahead on 20 December when they take on Premier League side Leicester City at Stadium MK with a place in the fifth round of the Carabao Cup at stake.
It is Lewington's second spell as caretaker boss and Winkelman said: "He's somebody you can always rely on to give you as objective a view as is possible, from the players' point of view.
"I'm hoping this has come at an OK time, he's off the pitch at the moment [with an injury] and I know he'll be there for us for as long as we need him to be there."
Winkelman has challenged the young players brought in by MK Dons this season to follow the example of one of England's World Cup stars in Qatar over the remainder of the season.
"Everybody is always on a learning curve and in football, you just never know. Somebody can come from nowhere and be outstanding - at England level, Jude Bellingham is possibly one of the top three players in the world at the moment," he said.
"That's what you want to see, players taking and grasping those opportunities."
Recent MK Dons managers/head coaches
Karl Robinson May 2010-Oct 2016
Robbie Neilson Dec 2016-Jan 2018
Dan Micciche Jan-Apr 2018
Paul Tisdale June 2018-Nov 2019
Russell Martin Nov 2019-Aug 2021
Liam Manning Aug 2021-Dec 2022