SAM AND WALLY IN THE HOTSEATS
New managers at Shrews and Dons
SAM Ricketts is calling on his new Shrewsbury side to carry on the fighting form they showed under interim boss Danny Coyne.
Ricketts completed his move to Montgomery Waters Meadow on Monday, before making a winning start to his tenure on Wednesday night with a 2-1 victory over Walsall in the Checkatrade Trophy.
The former Wrexham chief, 37, believes he has joined a “great club with great potential” but has emphasised the need to continue showing the collective spirit that saw them win five of their six outings under Coyne following the sacking of John Askey last month.
“I’ve been here all week and I have been really impressed with what I have seen,” he told The FLP.
“The structure at the club is strong and there are good staff and good players here.
“Everything is in place to take the club in the right direction. If the club is to build something, which is what we all want, it’s going to take everyone.
“It’s not just myself, but an awful lot of input from a lot of people.”
“We all make mistakes, we all miscontrol the ball, miss an open goal, those you can forgive. But you can’t forgive a lack of effort.”
Effort
Meanwhile, Ricketts, who was asked to stay away from Wrexham’s FA Cup tie with Newport County last Saturday as speculation mounted of an approach from the League One club, remains adamant he was ready to take the game, but wished the Dragons well in their fight for promotion from the National League. “I had prepared for that game,” he says. “I had done all my preparation and was ready to go as normal, but they asked me to stay away. “I want to wish Wrexham all the best and thank the fans. It was a tough call to leave and the season still looks very positive for them. I learnt a lot there. We enjoyed a good run in the league and it was a wonderful opportunity for me.”
Meanwhile, Wally Downes is looking to the future after his AFC Wimbledon managerial career started in controversial fashion.
In the same statement in which they announced the appointment of the former Crazy Gang star as boss, the Dons said they had spoken to him about ‘some use of social media by Wally that is not consistent with our values’.
Values
It related to Twitter posts from September that appeared to mock legislation in India, where he was coaching, that improved gay rights.
“I am very proud to be appointed as manager of a club I love dearly,” said the 57-year-old. “I apologise for my previous use of social media – my comments were meant to be humorous but on reflection they were a mistake.
“I am very aware of my responsibilities as Wimbledon’s manager and immensely proud to have been appointed. I am now looking forward to working flat out to help to keep the club in League One.”
Having put that row behind him, Downes can now attempt to get the club out of the League One relegation zone.
There is also the lure of being the manager who will take the club back to their spiritual home at Plough Lane – the Dons hope to be in their new 11,000-capacity ground midway through next season.
“It’s the next logical step and the fact that we are able to get back there after so many years, it’s now important that we go in there with the opportunity to compete,” said the former Brentford boss.
“That stadium will lift the gates, lift the revenue, and it will lift the community.
“It’s certainly an incentive for any player that has been at the club for a while to go into the new stadium with a chance to make the team more successful than we are currently.”