Former Southampton and Charlton Athletic boss Nigel Adkins is back in the dugout, having been named as the new interim head coach of League Two outfit Tranmere Rovers following the dismissal of Ian Dawes.
Dawes was caretaker manager on three separate occasions at Prenton Park but got the job on a permanent basis back in May, succeeding Micky Mellon. However, despite winning the first game of the season, Rovers have lost six straight matches in England’s fourth tier.
The Merseyside-based club are currently sitting third from bottom in League Two after seven games and a 2-0 defeat away at fellow strugglers Colchester United forced the hierarchy’s hand as Dawes was sacked.
In Tranmere Rovers’ official statement, chairman Mark Palios revealed why the decision to dismiss Dawes from his post was made [quotes via the BBC]:
“Ian Dawes got the team playing some attractive football but we haven’t been able to convert that into points on the table.
“I would like to thank lan for his time with us, including his three periods as interim manager during which he won a remarkable 7 games in a row, and I wish him all the best for the future.”
Having played for Tranmere Rovers during the mid-1980s, Nigel Adkins was appointed as the club’s technical director back in May but will now take temporary charge of the team until the right candidate is found.
Speaking on Adkins, Palios added:
“Injuries have no doubt played a significant part [in Dawes’ sacking], but football is a results game and I felt we needed someone more experienced [Adkins] at the helm to steer us through this period with a depleted squad, as confidence will be key.”
Writer’s View
The dismissal of Dawes won’t come as a surprise to anyone considering Rovers have lost six of their last seven games and are sitting in the relegation zone already despite finishing in a respectable twelfth-place last season.
Adkins is a man with a wealth of experience, having coached in all levels of the EFL, including in the Premier League a decade ago and so will be a valuable asset over the coming weeks for the club in an attempt to turn fortunes around.
