And so, one of the longest reigning managers in the Football League is gone and a replacement must be found for a man who managed to make a team more than just the reputation it has garnered over the years.
You do have to give credit to Karl Robinson for what he was able to do with MK Dons. They were always well known before him, but mainly because of how they were created and pretty much across the country they were hated. However Robinson brought a revolution to the club which started them playing some very good football, which attracted much begrudging respect.
But now he’s gone after six years in charge and a replacement must be found, and you can have your say in our poll.
Paul Mitchell
So this is a strange one. Mitchell doesn’t have any management or coaching experience, though he is very familiar with the Dons having been a player, community ambassador and eventually their head of recruitment. Since then he has had similar roles with Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, though he is currently unemployed. Is his scouting ability good enough for him to be the next manager?
Steve Cotterill
Despite Cotterill’s spell with Bristol City ending rather poorly, MK Dons will be thinking about the way he started his reign. After initially struggling in League One, Cotterill reshaped the side and got them promoted back to the Championship with ease. With that being the target for the Dons, is Cotterill the perfect man?
Mark Sampson
Another one that has come from the left field. Sampson has had plenty of success having guided Bristol Academy to many FA Cup finals and has even got England to the semi-finals and if you are continuing to scratch your head as to who this guy is, this is the England’s women’s manager. He does have some limited experience in the men’s game having worked under Roberto Martinez at Swansea City, but is an off the wall appointment needed for the Dons?
Steve Evans
The law is that Evans must be linked to every vacant role in the Football League. He has had plenty of success, most notably getting Rotherham United from League 2 to the Championship in just two seasons. However his, let’s say brash, personality can rub people up the wrong way which includes his own players. But why not pair a club hated in this country with one of its most hated managers?
Martin Jol
Jol is probably the biggest name on this list thanks to his spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham, where he has had varying degrees of success. Currently he is in Egypt with Al Ahly Cairo, which means he most likely has very good wages, but could coming back to England be a temptation he can’t resist?
