The early favourite for the Doncaster Rovers’ manager’s role has ruled himself out of contention, explaining he won’t be applying for the role, as reported by the Swindon Advertiser.
Richie Wellens took over from Phil Brown at the County Ground last season, following one year in management with Oldham Athletic. The 39-year-old spent five seasons with Doncaster a player across two spells and is one of the early front-runners for the role left vacant by Grant McCann’s defection to Hull City.
The Doncaster hierarchy can look elsewhere though, as Wellens is firm on his current commitment to The Robins.
“I wanted loyalty off of some players towards the end of last season. And I think it’d be wrong of me not to show that loyalty back,” he said.
“I’m starting to build my own team now, which is difficult to get. We might lose three or four games on the bounce this season, and at that moment I will need the chairman, the players and the fans to support me. It’d be wrong of me to walk away at the first opportunity.”
He refused to rule himself out completely though, claiming he’d relish the chance to manage at the Keepmoat one day.
“If I was asked ‘would I like to manage Doncaster Rovers?’ – yes, I would. But that’s in years and years to come.
“I’ve got a very good job here, and I’m starting to bond with the supporters. I want that to get stronger, and it’s important that relationship continues to get stronger.”
Wellens has taken charge of 30 matches thus far in his Robins career, winning 11. That’s only 13 fewer than he managed during his spell with Oldham, which saw the Latics relegated to League Two.
Our View
Loyalty isn’t a commodity you see much in football. Some managers have it, Danny Cowley is one who rebuffs advances from other clubs and it seems Wellens is another.
It would be interesting to see what would happen if Doncaster made an approach. After all, Swindon only ended up with Phil Brown because Mansfield pinched David Flitcroft.
Wellens does seem to be a man of his word though and Swindon fans will be sleeping easier tonight, no matter what the bookies want them to believe,
