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Mike Williamson has really turned around the fortunes of Milton Keynes Dons in the early days of his tenure, despite barely getting his feet under the table, having been in the hot seat for only a matter of weeks.
Since his arrival, the Dons have won four out of their seven league games, with two draws coming and the solitary loss was on the road to Accrington Stanley, his first game, and that came after just one day in charge.
“With a pragmatic approach it is either black or white, whereas, with a progressive and positive style of play, fans can see shoots and signs of progression if they are there, earning the managerial incumbent longer to prove their mettle”
What has the 40-year-old targeted to gain the initial “new manager bounce” that all chairmen and supporters wish for after a change?
Firstly, there was the return to a style of football that became known in Buckinghamshire as “the MK Way”.
When Karl Robinson took over in 2010, the then-young manager making his first foray into management prioritised a possession-based style, which immediately won over the fanbase and saw relative success.
Ever since, supporters have always had a penchant for seeing their team play in a positive-yet-possessive manner.
Throughout the years at Stadium MK, Chairman and Owner Pete Winkelman has employed managers and head coaches who fit these exact criteria, but on two occasions the mould was thrown out of the window with the tenures of Robbie Neilson and most recently Graham Alexander.
Both received the sack in rather tumultuous circumstances; Neilson’s players arguing with the fanbase after a loss and Alexander blaming everyone and everything but himself for the horrific run of results all inside Stadium MK had to endure.
A pragmatic style of football will always have a place in the professional game, but most supporters up and down the country want instantaneous success at their clubs. If it is not winning, it is not working.
With a pragmatic approach it is either black or white, whereas, with a progressive and positive style of play, fans can see shoots and signs of progression if they are there, earning the managerial incumbent longer to prove their mettle and more of an opportunity to try out different dynamics in their squad.
In the Dons’ most recent two home league outings against Grimsby Town and Forest Green Rovers, it was one of the first real tests against sides with a similar philosophy.
Grimsby, under the stewardship of David Artell, matched fire with fire and put on a footballing clinic.
Passing with purpose and attacking in numbers, rather than one or two going on lonesome forays, the Mariners were both good for and deserved of their half time lead.
Led by their captain, striker Danny Rose, the away side seemed galvanised in Artell’s first match in charge, looking anything but a side entering the contest with just one victory from their last nine matches.
The Dons looked lethargic by comparison to their counterparts, however you could argue it was more a case of Grimsby outplaying the hosts, seeing as they managed to scupper any attempts by Williamson’s men to create anything of substance in the final third.
It was almost as though a switch was flicked on the hour-mark as the Dons took over the ascendancy.
Sitting in a losing 1-0 score line with just half an hour to go, Milton Keynes bundled home an equaliser through midfielder Jack Payne and this led to Williamson immediately rolling the dice.
Having sacrificed a centre back to employ an extra striker, the hosts began to turn the screw and build heavy pressure.
It was in the fifth minute of five added that MK squandered a gilt-edged chance, the best of the match. The goal was gaping for striker Mo Eisa to make the net bulge, only to skew his attempt wide of the post with barely seconds left.
For either of the two sides to come away empty-handed would have been very unjust.
Although across the ninety minutes it was the visitors who performed the best and played the more fluid football, it was the Dons who had the best opportunities and can be left to rue what might have been.
In their match against Forest Green Rovers, it followed a break of over two weeks and that only appeared to breath a positive, refreshed air on the pitch.
The Dons were sharper, quicker to second balls and looked far more efficient in possession than the visitors.
It only took 21 minutes for striker Max Dean to fire home a clinical finish before the lead was doubled on the hour through Jack Payne, both strikes from just inside the penalty area and their dominance duly showed as they ran out 2-0 victors.
Having both fallen out of the third tier following relegation last term, it is the Buckinghamshire outfit that have taken up the challenge of getting out of League Two at the first time of asking with greater aplomb.
Despite both following a similar recruitment policy with respect to adding several experienced players to their ranks, it was the Dons who also signed up a couple of developing talents, one being winger Joe Tomlinson and their fluid, more creative abilities came to the fore.
Rovers lacked the creativity to really trouble the Dons defence and relied on set pieces for openings, which in the end did not muster.
It was a good, solid three points for the Dons and one they can really build on going into the hectic Christmas and New Year fixture congestion.
Across the two displays, MK the head coach Williamson can really see what he has been working on coming to fruition.
Having dominated one game and deserved three points in the other, the performances will be pleasing on both the eye and table as his side continue to creep upwards and on just two points outside of the Play off places, all whilst having two games in hand over several of the opponents.
