Flynn will take a break and then decide on his future at County
MIKE Flynn began his summer holiday yesterday with uncertainty hanging over his future as Newport County manager following a heart-breaking 1-0 play-off final defeat at Wembley.
With a place in League One on the line, the Exiles were beaten by Morecambe in extra time as they conceded a controversial penalty which was scored by Carlos Mendes Gomes.
County will appoint former Scarborough and Oldham boss Darren Kelly into a new sporting director role at the Exiles this summer. Kelly will work alongside Flynn, should he stay on board.
That, though, is far from a guarantee.
“I’ve got a year left. They have employed a sporting director with a three-year contract so I need to sit down and see which direction the club are going in and where we go from there,” said Flynn.
“I can’t say 100 per cent I will be back in August.
“A lot of things have gone on this season that I have not been happy with. I’ve kept them quiet and we will be sitting down and having a conversation. A few things need to get ironed out.
“I love this club more than anything – that’s probably why it gets to me as much as it does. Let’s just say there might be two different ways where we think the club is going.”
Flynn revealed he is “not against” the idea of working alongside a sporting director, but all is clearly not well in Rodney Parade’s corridors of power.
“There are things to talk about behind the scenes. I’ve got another year and I am somebody who is honourable, but let’s see how the chats go,” Flynn said.
County dominated their League Two play-off final with Morecambe, but struggled to create clear-cut chances and captain Joss Labadie missed a sitter in extra time from Nicky Maynard’s cross.
Referee Bobby Madley then award
ed Morecambe a lucky penalty for what he saw as a foul by Newport’s Ryan Haynes. The contact between Haynes and the Morecambe player was outside the box.
Newport should have had a penalty of their own in the first half when Scot Bennett headed wide of goal but after doing so, was punched in the face by Morecambe goalkeeper Kyle Letheren.
Flynn has been in charge of Newport since leading the club to a dramatic escape from relegation out of the Football League in 2017.
In the next four years, he has led the team to two League Two play-off finals and a series of shock knock-out wins over high-profile teams including those from the Premier League.
Popular with the club’s supporters, he would leave a huge void at Rodney Parade were he to depart.