I’ve held off commenting too much until it’s confirmed, and I completely understand the professional and personal motivations for Manning to accept the role.
But I’m not his mate, nor am I his family. I’m an Oxford United supporter - and his decision, even if I can rationalise it and understand the logic, leaves me bitterly disappointed.
He doesn’t leave with my ‘gratitude’. Clearly I’m glad he kept us up, but I’d argue with the squad we had he certainly wasn’t the only person capable of doing that. And by having all his staff brought in and infrastructure built up around him only to walk at quite literally the first sniff of Championship interest leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.
I completely admire the optimism of those who see the bigger picture, but in the short term this is colossally destabilising, and absolutely gutting when we looked set to have our best season since 19/20 (when I’m convinced Covid robbed us of a genuine automatic promotion chance). Instances like Schumacher at Plymouth are categorically not the norm when you lose your manager in circumstances like this. In the long term we’re moving in the right direction - and we’re better off without someone like Manning who evidently wasn’t as committed as we needed him to be. But it’s a huge blow.
I absolutely will look forward to making him a pantomime villain and give him plenty of stick if we do play them. I wish him nothing but poor fortune and hope he absolutely tanks at Bristol City. Get stuffed Liam. Thanks for keeping us up. And then for utterly leaving us in the lurch.
onwards and upwards!
