The favourites to become new Colchester United manager has been revealed as the club decide to sack head coach Matthew Etherington.
Etherington departs following an 8th loss in nine matches with the U’s sitting one place and five points above the League Two drop zone having been defeated 1-0 against Gillingham.
The 42 year old had been a youth coach at the club before taking over on an interim basis following Ben Garner’s sacking on the 21st of October.
He then took over permanently in mid-November but has one won once since then.
Club Statement: Matty Etherington#ColU | #WeAreUnited
— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) January 1, 2024
The U’s said in a statement: “Colchester United and Matty Etherington part company.
“Following this afternoon’s defeat against Gillingham, Colchester United have relieved Matty Etherington of his duties as Head Coach.
“The club would like to thank Matty for his time in charge of the first team.
“No further comment will be made at this time.”
Interviewer: Matthew, we saw a reaction from the second half against Wimbledon but ultimately it wasn’t enough against Gillingham
ME: No it wasn’t, it was, your right as a better display in some aspects effort commitment can’t fault the players, say it time and time again but I can’t just quality in those final areas was missing today um and that’s a disappointing thing and ultimately ends up in a in a defeat um deflection for that goal and the player is looking like he’s going to cross the ball or wants to cross the ball goes in at the near post and that’s kind of where we’re at at the minute
Interviewer: Yeah and two contrasting halves in the fact that the first half looked a bit cagey both sides kind of feeling each other out and then it just seemed to be a from the very beginning of the second half both sides really open and wanting to go for it and get that first goal
ME: Yeah I think there’s some tired legs out there obviously all the pitches that we’ve had over the festive period I think they had a five minute period up until their goal where they were pushing us and um you know really carrying a threat then after the goal I thought we would have we were the dominant team and Gillingham didn’t create a great deal and we had moments where just that final decision making quality needed to be better
Interviewer: And that’s as long as you got all those other ingredients just that final bit of quality you hope the players keep doing what we all believe they can do that’ll turn around
ME: You’d like to think so um to be fair that’s a message that Scotty just give them in there um after I spoke was was these things if we keep believing in what we’re doing we’ll fall for us um you know you look at their< goal and the nature of it we we kind of need something like that to go our way as well on occasion so yeah between both boxes in that second half after the goal some good stuff um but just let down by that by that bit quality
Interviewer: And how difficult or or easy is it to pick the players up in in a season especially after there’s been so many games in a short space of time not too much time to think about it between the next one all of a sudden again you got six days five days for the next one
ME: Yeah it’s tough they’re really dejected obviously we’re fully aware of the the run we’re on at the minute and no one likes it no one likes to be involved in it um and they’re dejected in there but they need a rest now um they need to reset we all need to reset after a busy period um and then look ahead to to Saturday
FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW COLCHESTER MANAGER
BetVictor – 9am – 2nd January 2024
Wade Elliott – 4/1
Paul Konchesky – 6/1
Ross Embleton – 6/1
Danny Cowley – 8/1
Mark Bonner – 8/1
Steve Cotterill – 8/1
Kevin Bond – 12/1
Phil Brown – 12/1
Steve Morison – 14/1
Darren Sarll – 16/1
Keith Curle – 16/1
Luke Garrard – 16/1
Gareth Ainsworth – 20/1
Andy Woodman – 20/1
Dean Brennan – 20/1
Kevin Betsy – 20/1
Tommy Widdrington – 20/1
This is how Twitter users reacted with the favourites to become new Colchester manager revealed as the club decide to sack Matthew Etherington…
@_bradmorris_: time to turn to chris from the ticket office
@mattyhudson: Whatever the background or origin of the next boss, they must a) be capable of thriving under the pressure of leadership and b) reengage with the fanbase to make them a part of the battle ahead. #ColU
@Kemble24: Buzzing to now appoint a half decent manager. Finish comfortably away from the drop zone. And then be in the same position a year from now calling for Konchesky to be sacked. #colu #GroundhogDay
@TomJC1285: Quite possibly the worst manager Crawley has ever had. The guy never engaged with fans, didn’t have a clue about tactics and made the strangest subs imaginable. I’m sure he is a good enough coach 🤷♂️
@BenNotley: This is the right thing to do for @ColU_Official. Worst manager and football I have seen there for a long, long time (and that is saying something). Really hope they get this right for the sake of the club. Huge January and Managerial appointment incoming #ColU
@tidycolunick: Here we go again. The 6th time in 3 years we’re looking for a head coach mid season. This had become inevitable but the consistently poor appointments are embarrassing the club and putting our league status at risk. I’ve no faith we won’t be here again in 3 months time #colu
@JFewelI: Sadly the biggest failure of an appointment in the whole Cowling era (and there’s plenty of candidates for that)… experienced head needed #ColU
@davioburchio: Ultimately, the correct decision. Really wanted it to work for ME but became clear it wasn’t working fairly quickly. The club really need to get an experienced coach now and pray for the best. Next appointment is massive!
@ianmckee58: You can’t keep sacking managers! 5 points clear of relegation going into a transfer window
@ColUtdAlex: Many games too late but thank god
@tom_mccormack: It’s a month too late! He should never have gotten the job permanently, he should have gone after Donny and a new Manager appointed with 2 weeks to work with the team on the training pitch. Here we go again expecting a different result from the same tired decisions. #ColU
@NathanRef96: FINALLY !!!!! Possibly the worst manager we’ve had ?? Now do a proper interview process and get this next one right because it will be a crucial factor in if we remain a football league club !! #Colu
@DomGFCBallard: Congratulations, you have just been Scott Malone’d
@amcloughlin08: Never good to see a manager lose his job, but even Stevie Wonder could see Etherington was nowhere near the standard required. Correct decision all round, but please now let’s go and get ourselves a proper manager who knows what he’s doing. Asking too much? #ColU
@robpooley1: What a shambles that club is from someone else looking from a far think the issue is in hierarchy of the football club not the managers
@glenister_andy: Yes!!!! Happy New Year… bring on Konchesky ball!
@JonP88: Poor bloke should never have been given the job in the first place. Actually feel sorry for him being out in that position in the first place. #ColU
@lewyitfc: Manager of the Month is taking a new meaning at Colchester these days.
@stephen_dimmock: Lasted double the amount of time he did at us. We dodged a huge bullet there in the end
@Kieren_Lewis: Surely Shirley from the burger van can be given a go next? Who else is left that hasn’t tried and failed? Sad state of affairs for a local club.
@Leetrev: The buck stops with cowling.! He makes these decisions in appointing the managers. The same will happen with the next manager unless he backs him. Cowling is another Ron Martin.!
@gafferwoody: Get Sol or Kevin bond in and your on your way
@NightOwlScribe: Yes!! But nothing changes if its another internal hire. Cowling show you have a set, admit your way doesn’t work and hire an experienced coach. Maybe then you might be able to repair the damage you have caused this club for so many years
@Ih5677: What a start to the year
@jonCUFCwhiting: Can I apply to be next head coach? I have no experience and likely to be awful, and I won’t bother clapping the fans either. Never stopped others from getting the job, so why not give it me?
@TylerKint1: 2 weeks too late but at least it’s done. May I be the first to congratulate Dave Huzzey on his appointment as permanent manager in 4 weeks….
@ron_smyth62: Sad, but I think for ME’s own mental health he needed to part ways! To many injuries and results not going their way with poor performances! Now for me this next appointment will be the biggest appointment the U’s will have to make! It could be make or break time!
Etheringtons gone but cowling is still here pic.twitter.com/5XgH8FOv9z
— adamwalker cufc (@adamwalkercufc) January 1, 2024
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