Posh board react following one win in six
Peterborough United Football Club have sacked manager Dave Robertson following their slow start to the new campaign.
The former-academy manager took over at the ABAX Stadium following the dismissal of Darren Ferguson at the end of last season, and despite picking up four wins in his first four games in charge, Robertson‘s Posh slowly started to dip.
Despite the poor end to last season, Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony decided to give Robertson the job on a permanent basis, offering him a three-year deal.
However, after just over a month of the season being underway, he has already pulled the trigger and sacked the former-marine following just one win in six.
Posh Statement
Speaking to the club’s official website, MacAnthony released the following statement: ‘‘I would personally like to thank David for stepping in last season when the club was at a low point after the previous manager’s departure. He steadied the ship, put a smile on everyone’s faces again and worked tirelessly each day to improve the clubs fortunes on the pitch.
‘After the season had finished, I felt it fair to give David a proper shot and appointed him first team manager on a full time basis with the remit to get our young squad ready and prepared for a proper promotion challenge this season whilst attempting to play the kind of football our fans have become accustomed to over the last 8 or 9 years.
‘Unfortunately after yesterday’s result and the manner of defeat, I felt it was time to take action and make a change as it had become plain to see our young squad was under-performing and playing nowhere near their potential. Make no mistake, our players must also shoulder responsibility for this awful start to the season which has now led to a great person losing their job.
‘It has been said by some fans this season that I have lost my own hunger/appetite as Chairman of the Posh, that I haven’t made the necessary investment to take the team forward and that my ambition for the club to be promoted is not serious.
‘Nothing could be further from the truth, I am driven every day to improve the football club, to get us back into the Championship, to ensure the fans get what they want, to answer the critics head on and being committed to getting back to having a club/team everybody in the city of Peterborough can be proud of.
‘The current squad in transfer fees alone has cost me over £4 million, so to be accused of going down the cheap route doesn’t sit well with me. In nine years as Chairman of the Posh I’ve overseen and backed the creation/building of 4/5 squads who have won promotions, won at Wembley, scored hundreds of goals and developed players who have gone on to play in the Premier League, so I do have some experience when it comes to backing the correct player recruitment and putting good policies in place for the club.
‘Being blunt and direct about our current squad, talent wise its up there with some of our previously successful groups, but talent only gets you so far and if they wish to replicate previous successes they have to figure out quickly that talent is a start but you need to have an incredible work ethic, desire, bottle, your team mates back and above all else a winners mentality with a never give up attitude.
‘I am all for being patient, allowing younger players to grow and improve, but I don’t have time for people who fail to work hard for one another on the pitch regardless of their age, price tag or previous playing history.
‘Every member of our football squad is now playing for their own futures, careers and that of their team mates around them as there is no doubt that whoever our next manager is, the likelihood is they will be paying close attention to our performances and results going forward once the vacancy becomes public knowledge today.
‘In the meantime I will begin the recruitment process of finding a new first team manager who will be tasked with putting our promotion aspirations back on track this season and quickly. To the fans, I apologise on behalf of our players for yesterday’s performance and our recent run of results and trust in me that I’ll do everything in my power to ensure good times return to Peterborough United very soon.‘
Robertson Reacts
After the news was announced, Robertson took to Twitter and posted his farewell and best wished to Peterborough United and the fans of the club.
He wrote: “Thanks for the journey and I genuinely wish all at the club the very best of luck for the future.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
