This coming Saturday will be the first time in six years that Karl Robinson has not picked the MK Dons team. Following his sacking last weekend, the responsibility will now lie with Richie Barker. The club’s assistant manager may have had to be on the touchline himself in the past, but he has never managed the side on his own. It will be a big task for him too, coming up against in-form Sheffield United.
Karl Robinson’s six-year stint as MK Dons came to an end last Sunday. The decision came following talks with chairman Pete Winkelman, concerning not only the 3-0 home loss to Southend the previous day, but the club’s form in general. The Dons have won just four times this season, all away from home.
Richie Barker to Prepare Managerless MK Dons for Trip to Sheffield United
This would be something, however, to give them hope against Sheffield United. Chris Wilder’s side are enjoying a purple patch following their rough start. The Blades won just one of their first five league games this campaign. Now, though, they are unbeaten in the league since the end of August. They have also scored ten goals in their previous three games; in a 4-0 over Port Vale, a 3-0 win away at Shrewsbury and in a 3-3 away draw at Bradford.
This game will give Richie Barker to prove himself to Winkelman as a manager, should he be after the job on a permanent basis. He has already had spells as a manager in the Football League. These came at Bury, Crawley and Portsmouth, all with varying degrees of success. His time at Bury went well, with him winning the manager of the month award for April 2011 and being appointed the permanent manager of the club.
His stint at Crawley wasn’t so good, however. At the time of his dismissal, the club had not won any of their last seven games, scoring just once. This was similar to his time at Portsmouth, where they had not won any of their last six games, scoring just once at the time of his departure.
Who Could Come In?
Many of the MK Dons fans will want a manager who has experience in getting out of League One. Steve Evans and Steve Cotterill are two who have done this, and both have been favourites for the job since it became available. Another man linked is former Swindon boss Mark Cooper, who very nearly got the Robins up in the year Robinson took MK Dons up.
Currently, former Dons player and now Tottenham scout Paul Mitchell leads the race for the job. England Women’s manager Mark Sampson has also been considered. More and more names have been linked since it was revealed by Winkelman in an interview with ITV that “more than 200 people had applied”.
Whether Robinson were in charge or not, this trip to Sheffield United was always going to be tough. Barker may not be the long-term solution, but all he can do now is set the team up as best he can, and see if he can contribute to the turn-around this club so desperately needs.
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