It was one round too far for McCann the fighter

The worst thing about Grant McCann’s sacking as Posh manager? Few fans were surprised and most of them were pleased the suffering of a club legend was over.

One of McCann’s mantras throughout what turned out to be a tough season was his refusal to shrink away from a fight. Ultimately that decision was taken from him and it was as inevitable as it was correct.

Making mistakes as a rookie boss was one thing, but repeating them was only going to mean a bad and sad end, a fact chairmanDarraghMacAnthony finally realised last weekend.

MacAnthony is still seeking Championship football next season. That wasn’t going to happen under McCann. There were too many strange team selections, too many substitutions that went awry and there were too many baffling press conferences when stats were manipulated to present a rosier picture than was actually the case.

For one defining moment of McCann’s managerial spell look no further than the Christmas trip to MK Dons. Posh were on the back of a brilliant success at Bradford City and their hosts were in freefall under an unpopular manager.

MK had two players sent off in the first-half. They took the lead playing with 10 men and then defended ridiculously easily after the break playing 9 v 11. They even looked as likely to score as Posh made substututions that denied them width and involved the removal of the best passer of the ball in the team.

In many ways the Wimbledon performance was a fitting finale for McCann. A baffling line-up, a gutless performance and another failure to beat a poor side at home followed by a post-match press conference which started with ‘we were good second-half.’

There were bright moments. McCann’s habit of beating Northampton Town is worthy of a generous round of applause, while the FA Cup win at Aston Villa was stylishly outstanding, but alongside it there were thrashings by the likes of Bury and woeful home displays against the likes of Gillingham and Blackpool.

The 5-1 defeat in the FA Cup at the hands of Leicester City is a record home defeat in the competition, against a virtual reserve side.

McCann, who has yet to comment publicly on his sacking, also had little luck with decisions from awful officials, but in the end you make your own luck and MacAnthony was right to put sentiment to one side and wield his axe.

Too many strange team selections and substitutions that went awry

Deep in thought. That was Grant McCann during his last game in charge against AFC Wimbledon.