Glyn Hodges happy to take back seat role if Wally Downes returns as Dons boss – and talks about a “more positive” formation helping the goals flow
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
AFC Wimbledon have got back that winning feeling under Glyn Hodges – but the caretaker manager is perfectly happy to revert back to his old role.
The 56-year-old South Londoner has taken charge since the end of September with boss Wally Downes suspended by the Dons after an FA charge for alleged betting irregularities.
Downes brought Hodges in as his assistant in December 2018.
It is thought the Wimbledon manager is waiting for a personal hearing with the FA.
And Hodges is in the dark over when there could be a resolution on the matter.
“As soon as it happened and they put me in charge I had a meeting with everyone at the club,” said the former Dons midfielder, who was born in Streatham. “I told them that all they can do is that we want to be in a better position – if or when Wally comes back. Let’s get some points on the board.
“We’ve had back-to-back wins and that hopefully gives a bit of confidence.
“I’ve enjoyed it [being caretaker] but to be fair I enjoy being number one or number two. I’d been a development coach for a number of years after having a go at Barnsley in this type of role.
“Wally brought me in and I was back in a first-team environment, helping to build and prepare a team to try and get three points. I’ve loved every minute.
“I’m more than happy to support Wally if he comes back. I came here as number two – I was out of work. He gave me that opportunity to come back and work at this level at a club I know so well.”
Wimbledon ended their wait for a League One victory at the weekend – racing into a three-goal lead against Rochdale and surviving a late fightback by the visitors.
They followed up with a 3-0 win over Leyton Orient in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night with Joe Pigott, Michael Folivi and Callum Reilly on target.
A Dons side who have struggled for goals have suddenly rattled in eight in their last three fixtures.
“We’ve changed and gone a lot more positive with the formation,” said Hodges. “We’ve tweaked it a bit.
“It was probably forced at Peterborough where we were 2-0 down and I thought ‘let’s have a go here’.
The team that finished that game came back to 3-2 and we had a goal disallowed. We were close to equalising against a team that will be up there.
“I thought ‘let’s do the same again’ in the Rochdale game and it paid off. People have got their shooting boots on. That happens, people go on runs.
“[Marcus] Forss has scored four goals – he’s a threat – and Folivi and Pigott scored on Tuesday.”
Hodges did not make wholesale changes for the tie against the O’s and admits he wanted to build winning momentum going into tomorrow’s game at fellow strugglers Southend United.
“We looked at the fixtures and felt it could be a positive week,” he said.
“We could be looking back after Saturday and thinking that was a catalyst. Getting back-to-back wins, we haven’t done that for a fair while. We tried to throw away the clean sheet with some sloppy play but still got it in the end.”
The Dons are three points behind 20th-placed Tranmere, the first safe spot in the division, and have played a match more.
No-one wanted a repeat of last season’s successful but nail-gnawing fight for survival.
“Getting that first win was massive,” said Hodges.
“It’s been coming. The frustrating thing is that in the three home games we drew before the Bristol Rovers match [a 3-1 defeat] we had done enough to win them – but we didn’t get our foot over the line.
“The performances had been good. The boys’ attitude has been brilliant, they have never got down, they have dusted themselves down and are back on it in training straight afterwards.
“Probably the finish last season has helped kept people calmer.
“It’s galvanised the group. The team who were involved in that will never forget that.
“The bond we got last season, no-one will ever break that. It can be years and years after your career has finished and they will never forget it.
“We have probably played seven out of the top eight as well. No-one has panicked.
“We know Saturday is a big game. We got the win to go above them by two points, we don’t want to make that a reverse this weekend.”
PICTURES BY KEITH GILLARD AND PAUL EDWARDS
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