Former MK Dons Boss Set For Vacant Management Position

Former MK Dons boss Liam Manning is set to be named as the new manager at Oxford United, according to BBC Radio Oxford.

The U’s parted company with their boss Karl Robinson last month after a poor run of form, which saw them part ways with the EFL’s longest-serving coach.

Robinson’s last win in charge of Oxford came in January as they beat Ipswich in a game that will be remembered by many for the weather conditions on the day, as the pitch was heavily impacted by fog on the day.

Manning began this season in charge of MK Dons, but a disastrous season at the club saw him sacked by the Buckinghamshire club in December when they found themselves in the bottom four, a position the club still find themselves in.

His departure came after a run of just one win in 11 games for the club while they sat second from the bottom, since then the club have only risen one position in the table.

It was a poor season, especially considering the previous season, where Manning had a fantastic first season leading the Dons to third in League One before losing out in the semifinals to Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 on aggregate. 

Since then, he was one of the favourites to take over the job at Fratton Park before John Mousinho took over Portsmouth.

Prior to MK Dons, Manning was in charge of West Ham Under-23, where he oversaw the development of Declan Rice, and then moved on to Belgian outfit Lommel SK

It is understood that Manning will bring his former assistant at MK Dons Chris Hogg to join him at Oxford United, while interim coaches Craig Short, Leon Blackmore-Such and Wayne Brown will also remain at the club.

Writers View

A risky appointment for Oxford with the position the club find themselves in currently, however as proven by his first season in charge of MK Dons, he is a winner and can lead a club to success. The concerning factor for many would be the season which he followed that up with, as the club fell to the opposite end of the table.

Manning has shown his good side and his bad side in these last two seasons, so you could understand if any Oxford fans were hesitant to be overly enthusiastic about their new manager. This is a sport that requires patience, however, as well as many managers as well as players having to prove they deserve what they have, so it is down to Manning to show he deserves this position and guide them to the success they feel they deserve.