AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson said new signings are expected at Plough Lane before the January window shuts and the Dons’ boss hopes to use new arrivals as extra motivation for his existing squad.
Jackson’s side were eliminated from the EFL Trophy on Tuesday following a 3-1 loss against Peterborough United. AFC Wimbledon were 2-0 down after just four minutes and Ryan McLean’s 89th-minute goal gave the South West Londoners a glimmer of hope before they conceded a third in injury time.
Speaking to the official AFC Wimbledon website after the defeat, Jackson revealed that he used his side’s poor start to deliver a warning to players whose positions may be under threat if poor performances continue.
“We nearly pulled it out the bag in the end because we were doing all of that. We’re more than capable of it. It’s an opportunity missed.”
“That’s what I said to the lads at half-time – these games are opportunities to get in the team and stay in the team. You have to take them because there’s competition for places and there might be more further down the line. If you serve up what I saw in the first-half, you could be out the team, you might not get back in it.”
The Dons will now turn their attention to a League Two promotion push for the remainder of the season. Jackson’s side are just outside the play-off places in ninth place and two points behind Notts County in seventh.
Looking ahead, Jackson explained that the Dons are looking to bolster their squad before the winter transfer window shuts. As reported by the South London Press, Crystal Palace defender Kofi Balmer could head to Plough Lane to replace the injured Ryan Johnson.
While AFC Wimbledon have already signed three players John-Kymani Gordon, Ronan Curtis and Joe Lewis, Jackson said he is seeking more arrivals to sustain a promotion challenge.
“We know what we want to bring in. We know who our targets are. We’re working hard – myself, Craig Cope and Terry Skiverton – to get the ones that we want. We’ll be working all of tomorrow and all of Thursday until the window shuts. If we get it right we’ll have the opportunity to come out and attack the rest of the season. We don’t want to fall away.”
Writer’s View
Jackson’s post-Peterboorugh words show the determination of a manager wanting to get the absolute best out of his team. It was clear that the 41-year-old was unimpressed with certain members of his first-team squad and his ultimatum here shows he is willing to replace underperformers.
Ultimately, the Dons will not want to let up on their play-off push, especially as they were written off as potential League Two relegation candidates in pre-season. New arrivals before the transfer window closes could give Jackson’s side a big lift and improve the output of several players in the latter stages of the 2023/24 campaign.
