AFC Wimbledon v Shrewsbury: Waterfall willing to give all to save his boss
Luke Waterfall says he and his team-mates will do their utmost to win at AFC Wimbledon and preserve John Askey’s position as Shrewsbury Town manager.
Askey feels anything less than three points will spell the end of his blue and amber reign, writes Joe Edwards.
Centre-half Waterfall, who has had the armband for the last two games, has vowed to come out fighting tomorrow for the chief who gave him his League One chance – being snapped up from Lincoln City on a three-year deal in the summer.
“I suppose it’s natural when a team has been as up and down as we have, struggling. The manager is going to come under pressure – it happens up and down the country,” he said.
“But I think we’ve just got to support the manager.
“We’ve got to go out and get a result.
“If we do, I’m sure things will start looking up again and we can look forward to the game after that.
“We just need to go out there and give 110 per cent.
“That’s the only way we can help the manager’s position, by giving it 110 per cent every game.
“Other than that, we have to work hard on the training ground and we are doing that.
“The gaffer has said he can’t ask for any more from us in training so, as long as we keep doing that, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Waterfall insists the work rate has been there from the players throughout Askey’s tenure, although he does accept they have been guilty of lapses in concentration – particularly in last weekend’s 3-0 loss at Oxford.
“I’m not going to say the lads are going out there and not trying,” he said. “That’s not the case at all. The lads are obviously going out there and trying. We want to win games.
“We’re all as gutted as each other after a game when we’ve not won.
“It’s not for a lack of trying whatsoever.
“But maybe, as a team, we have been a little bit naive at times.
“Going away from home last weekend, you’ve got to be in the game.
“But after 10 or 12 minutes, we’re 2-0 down and have given ourselves an absolute mountain to climb.
“We need to be in games, get past that first 15 minutes away from home – have it at 0-0 and re-evaluate the game from there.
“We have to look at each other, individually.
“You can’t be 1-0 or 2-0 down after 10 minutes, it just can’t happen – not at this level of football.
“If you switch off for a minute, make a mistake, you get punished. It’s unforgiving.”
Waterfall is hoping Town perform as they did to beat Barnsley 3-1 last week – a display he was bitterly disappointed not to build on at Oxford.
“That’s the most frustrating thing for me, on a whole, since I’ve come here, is the inconsistency,” he added.
“I know we’ve got the players, the ability, to win football matches but it’s just the inconsistency and naivety we’ve shown at times – you can’t turn it on and off.
“Every game, you’ve got to give 110 per cent.
“You’ve got to be coming off the pitch and be absolutely blowing.
“That’s an absolute given for me, so I’m sure we’ll go there tomorrow and do that.”
Likely line-up
Subs: Beckles, Laurent, Gilliead, Amadi-Holloway, Barnett, Angol, Arnold.
The Opposition
Things may not be rosy for Shrewsbury Town – but it has not been plain sailing for AFC Wimbledon either.
Fans of the phoenix club are delighted to be a level above fierce rivals MK Dons.
Based on what we have seen so far this term though, the roles could be reversed come the end of the season.
MK are second in League Two while Neal Ardley’s men are second-bottom in League One. Salop’s opponents have lost their last six league games – and nine of their last 10.
But while the clash is last-chance saloon for John Askey, Wimbledon have said that Ardley will be given time to turn things around.
Their CEO Erik Samuelson said on Tuesday: “I know fans are concerned about the recent run of results, which have clearly been disappointing.
“You won’t be surprised to hear that the Dons Trust board and Football Club board are equally concerned. We are aware also that fans feel there has been a ‘radio silence’ about the current situation and this note attempts to respond to that in an honest an open way – while avoiding the classic ‘vote of confidence’ that characterises many such situations. So I am setting out for you, as transparently as possible, what discussions we’ve had about how we turn things around and where our thinking is at the moment.
“We’re very confident Neal continues to carry the dressing room with him.
“The track record of clubs appointing a new manager mid-season is at best mixed and as often as not makes no discernible improvement in performance – all of last season’s relegated clubs changed manager at least once during the season. We can’t add to the squad until January and Neal is best placed to bring out the best from the current squad.
“Football is a matter of fine margins and in many games this season our overall performance has been good and the result could easily have been different. We think these will even out over the season.”
Ardley believes his side’s recent plight is not down to a lack of skill, but a significant lack of confidence. And he has taken what he feels are necessary measures to address that.
“They had a six-hour meeting with our sports psychologist this week,” he said.
“I don’t believe this is a football thing – for me it’s a mental thing, confidence.”
Wombles' dangerman: Joe Pigott
Targetman Joe Pigottis the Dons' top scorer with six goals.
The 24-year-old has not started any of their last three games and they have failed to find the net so it would be surprising to see him left out of the starting eleven again.
He has also played for Charlton, Gillingham, Newport County, Southend and Cambridge.
Pie and a Pint?
The Bricklayers Arms, on Hawks Road, is a ten-minute walk away and sells real ales. Burgers and Cheesy chips are on offer inside the ground.
Memory Lane
An Alex Rodman header after just eight minutes was enough to give Town victory in August last year. It was their first victory at Kingsmeadow.
