SAM Long is looking forward to the positive lift he expects Liam Manning to bring to Oxford United.
Manning’s arrival as United head coach was finally confirmed on Saturday morning, ending the club’s search to replace Karl Robinson.
Former MK Dons boss Manning will be joined by Chris Hogg as assistant manager, with Hogg also his number two at the Dons.
After taking over the Buckinghamshire side in August 2021, Manning led them to third in Sky Bet League One during his sole full season, before defeat in the play-off semi-finals against Wycombe Wanderers.
His swashbuckling style of play drew many plaudits, however he was sacked by MK Dons on December 11, with the team second from bottom and enduring a run of just one win from 11 league games.
U’s defender Long is excited by the opportunity for a fresh start as he and his teammates enter their final 10 games of the League One season.
“He’s a young manager and has got some ideas which will suit the style of play that we want to do,” said Long.
“All you’ve got to look at is the MK side from last year, who played fantastic football and were very hard to play against.
“That’s something I’m really looking forward to, him coming in and stamping his authority on the team as soon as possible.
“It’s a fresh slate for everyone and everyone needs to step up, and prove to him that their spot should be theirs.
“I think that’s exactly what we need right now because then hopefully the levels can go up even more.
“You can see the last two weeks, the levels have gone up in the performances and hopefully we can keep building on that.
“Ultimately the results have to be better and we know that – we know the run we’re on is awful.”
On the first impression he hopes to make personally, Long said: “I do my best all the time, no matter if there’s a new manager or old manager.
“My consistency, attitude and professionalism will never change.
“It’s a new manager and a new slate for everyone and everyone needs to impress because everyone’s shirt is up for grabs.
“I want my shirt just as much as the next person.”
Craig Short, assisted by Leon Blackmore-Such and Wayne Brown, has taken charge of the club since Robinson’s sacking, and despite the addition of Hogg to the backroom staff, the trio will remain at the club.
“Shorty’s a very experienced man in football, he knows the lads and he’s a figure that if he talks, you listen,” said Long.
“He’s tightened a few things up and put his mark on the team, and I think you’ve seen that.
“You could see the fight in the lads and there’s a lot of positives to take.”
“That’s an area with Jamo out and I think Lewis has got to go for hand surgery, so we could be losing both of those.”#oufc are facing a potential injury nightmare in midfieldhttps://t.co/ZVJjc6SU2k pic.twitter.com/Hg5ezGhdfA
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) March 12, 2023
On the 3-2 defeat at home to Derby County on Saturday, Long said: “We’re very frustrated but we need to find a way of putting these better performances into better results, and it needs to happen very quickly.
“It’s a massive game for us next week, we have to take the positives and look into the new week with the new gaffer and be fully focused on Morecambe because it’s a huge game for us.
“It was the first game we’d gone ahead in for a very long time.
“I think their goal was a bit against the run of play, from a silly free kick that we gave away and then their second goal was a foul on Stu [Findlay] before but we need to do a little bit better on the edge of the box.
“The third goal is unlucky and a bit of a sucker punch but I thought we reacted to it really well, and we were in the game until the end.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here