Dan Micciche admits MK Dons situation ‘bleak’ after Walsall defeat

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2018 by PA

New MK Dons manager Dan Micciche insists he will not be panicking despite his losing start continuing with a 1-0 defeat at Walsall.

Deadline day loan arrival Julien Ngoy’s 70th-minute winner settled a poor game in Walsall’s favour, easing them clear of danger but dropping Dons to 22nd, three points from safety.

But Micciche – who lost his opening game to Coventry City in the FA Cup after replacing Robbie Neilson – is confident results will turn for the Dons.

He said: “I knew it was bleak when I came in here but it was a challenge I wanted to take on. We should be higher up.

“We have to start turning this optimism into results. I think we are getting there. We’re trying to bring a new identity in. That’s normally done during a pre-season.

“There’s no point in panicking, or turning to Plan B or Plan C. This is our plan, and why I came to this club.

“Any mountain is big – ask the teams in the top six too. It’s a tough league, we all know that.

“If we didn’t have the ability in the dressing room I’d say it was tougher, but we’ve got winnable games coming up, we’ve got goals too. We have to stay positive and it will turn.

“I feel we deserved something from today but we knew it would be a tight game, and the first goal was always going to be key.”

Victory eased pressure on Walsall boss Jon Whitney, who was delighted with loan debutants Ngoy and defender Jack Fitzwater, on loan from Stoke City and West Brom respectively.

Whitney said: “I thought we were deserved winners. I thought we were solid and it was really nice to get the clean sheet. There were lots of positives in there.

“It was nice for Julien to come on and get his goal and I thought Jack came in and did really well. For a young lad to play his first game in League One, he handled it really well.

“That shows you the environment that our players give them. It’s like they have been here for the last year, those loan players.

“It’s nice to be sitting here with a six-point gap from Dons because it was an important game. This was definitely a big six-pointer for us and the lads coped with it really well.

“MK have players who are dangerous. They are just not clicking at the moment and Dan’s got to stay patient with them.

“I feel for him a little bit because he’s come in to his first real management job and I know what it’s like to have a bit of pressure.”