The top six favourites to become new MK Dons manager has been revealed with fans left concerned with the side sitting in the relegation zone.
They took the decision to part company with the 37-year-old with the club currently sitting 23rd in the League One table.
It comes after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat at home to Fleetwood – making their 13th league defeat of the season – and the manager’s criticism of his players following their latest loss.
MK Dons, who reached the playoffs under Manning last season, are only above bottom-placed Morecambe on goal difference.
“It was a similar story to last week in terms of the performance,” Manning said. “We created enough chances, we conceded two shots on target which led to two goals. We’re getting to a point where we have to stop talking about performances and be able to sustain the discipline and maintain the focus to not give up those moments. It’s hurting and costing us.
“We had so many good moments to put the game to bed, but that’s when you need someone to step up, people to be brave and have quality at the end. It comes down to quality in both penalty boxes. That’s not new.
“We lacked quality ultimately in attack and at key times in our own area. It’s hugely disappointing and frustrating.
“They have to fight, step up, scrap, be counted. If you want to turn performances into results, you have to step up and be brave, show character and fight. We’re waiting for someone to do that. And that’s what’s so frustrating for the staff – we give them everything required to deliver, and you see that in the game today.
“We’ve got terrific coaches who have helped this team improve, but we can only take the players so far before it falls on them to go out there and win games for the team.
“We wanted someone to step up and get three points, and they didn’t.”
Sporting Director Liam Sweeting could not put a time frame on when a replacement for Liam Manning will be in place at the League One strugglers.
“I’m really clear in the profile of the coach we want to come in, which helps,” he said. “We need impact and leadership.
“I’ve got an idea of where we want to go in terms of the process, but it’s extremely difficult to put a time frame on it. But I’ve got an idea, so we will move as quickly as we can.
“A new head coach will bring their own version of culture, and their own input as well, and work is underway to find someone to do that, but we’re certainly aware of where we are.
“The belief and potential is there to get us out of this mess, but it’s not just going to happen. It will take hard work and ownership of the position to do better. The potential of this group is a lot higher than we’re seeing.
“It’s a really important period heading into January. But it will take as long as it takes.”
TOP SIX FAVOURITES
BetVictor – 9am – Mon 12 Dec
Darren Ferguson – 4/1
Leam Richardson – 8/1
Marc Bircham – 10/1
Steve Morison – 12/1
Kenny Jackett – 12/1
Dean Holden – 12/1
With many on social media apportioning blame towards the Sporting Director for his role in recruiting the 14 players this summer, Sweeting said everyone at the club needed to get their act together to get out of the trouble they are currently in.
He said: “We’re second from bottom in the league, and as it stands we’re relegated. Everyone, on and off the field has to improve and we have to do that quickly.
“There has to be a shift in mentality because we need to get results in and amongst the development work we do on the pitch. We have to find a way of winning games.
“There is learning in these processes, from recruitment, to the way we set the team up to the way we develop players. I have to send a clear message to everyone – we have to do better to address the situation we’re in.
“Rest assured, that impact is coming.”
This is what fans had to say with the top six favourites to become new MK Dons manager revealed…
@DavidWe22741463: Poor recruitment. Same as when we went to the championship all talk about how wonderful the ground is, but not backing the managers with quality to fill it.
@_JHK93: Winkleman out.
@ctbmxuk: You [Sweeting] and winkleman need to leave the club aswell we need Karl Robinson back and Andrew Cullen with a new owner who doesn’t treat the club as an inconvenience to hosting concerts and other sporting events
@FrancoVolpe15: He made good players play. You replace them with far interior players and expect what exactly ? Manning will go on to do well with proper funding elsewhere while we’ve just burned a pile of cash in compo we should have spent in the summer on better players.
@Markdolling: Needs to get his head out of stats, you don’t win football matches with a spreadsheet. Far too stat driven, which has led to poor recruitment. Let’s get some old fashioned football values and leadership into the club and a manager who can get these boys performing.
@ADadswelldons: I’m afraid the buck stops with you, Manning made the scapegoat for your failings mr Winkelman..
@fraserlorimerw: Got to a point that I don’t trust a word from PW. Only interest is self interest. The football club has, and for a very long time been way down his list. We have had top flight facilities and no team, no training ground. Money being siphoned off at expense of the football.
@DW_Images: Sweeting needs to go, totally clueless on taking the club forward.
@wheresmyarsenal: He should be the one sacked for some awful recruitment. For what the club sold the replacements were L2 players
@mark_l04: Someone with leadership and experience but not a dinosaur. Leam Richardson obvious choice. Probably unpopular choice but Darren Ferguson knows league 1 like the back of his hand. Might need to compromise our playstyle in order to get points but we won’t hire a long ball manager
@Coisrig: Short term objective is keeping us in League 1. Medium term is rebuilding us to challenge for promotion. Loads of talent out there needing a job. I think we’ll be pleasantly surprised.
@Ch44rli3_: mannings a class manager, you can see what he can do with decent players and u gave him nothing to work with
@OwenAlford180: Most realistic is Leam Richardson and he’s proven what he can do with a football club with his football. Darren Furgurson again an unpopular choice but done well at his time with Peterborough. We just need a manager that doesn’t have a long ball play style and can keep us up!
From 89 points, 3rd place and being one of the hottest properties in the EFL to 15 points, 23rd place and being out of a job… 😰
One Head Coach. Two seasons. One club. Two very different teams. 🤓#MKDons #LeagueOne #EFL pic.twitter.com/MeLO7xSoZt
— The Near Post (@TheNearPostEFL) December 12, 2022
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