Who will be next to take the helm at Stadium MK?

So, summer is upon us, and yet again the MK Dons are facing up to the fact that success has cost them a manager.

Just like last summer when Paul Ince decided to jump ship and head off to Blackburn Rovers, Roberto Di Matteo has decided that after a year he has enough experience to manage in the Championship with West Bromwich Albion.

With Ince it was hard to say he shouldn’t have taken the chance to manage in the top flight, and whilst the lure of the Championship must be appealing for former Chelsea hero Di Matteo, his decision illustrates a staggering lack of loyalty. Last summer it was the Dons who gambled and gave him his first taste of managerial life, and they stuck by him all season long, even though at times some of his tactical decisions could have been considered slightly naïve.

That loyalty has not been rewarded by staying another season, learning more and trying to get the Dons into the Championship, but instead going for the easy option and moving up there straight away. Whilst he will leave Milton Keynes with at least the partial blessing of most of the fans, it is hard not to feel slightly betrayed and even more frustrated, at the fact that in two consecutive summers the Dons have lost two successful managers.

Ironically, one of those could now be returning after his stint away, with reports this week stating that Paul Ince has been in talks at Stadium MK. Even though at the time his departure was nearly as frustrating as Di Matteo’s, there is no doubt that Ince would be welcomed back at the Dons and his experience of top flight football will surely only have improved him as a manager.

As well as the former Blackburn boss there has also been talk of Dennis Wise, Gus Poyet and Steve Coppell as possible candidates for the job. To take on the latter would certainly be bucking the trend at Stadium MK after a couple of years of hiring inexperienced managers, but Coppell certainly proved with Reading that he has the nous to manage near the top level.

Should Pete Winkelman look further afield then he might well pluck another ex-pro out of the abyss and bring him to MK, but even though the gamble has paid off on the last two occasions, that doesn’t mean it will next time.

Hence, of all the options available, Ince could well be the best and safest, due to the fact he knows the club well and will surely have the full backing of those around him, including the fans.

Even without a manager Winkelman has been adding more names to the squad though, with Stephen Gleeson joining on a permanent deal from Wolves. The youngster spent a month on loan with the Dons towards the end of the season and from the few performances he put in, he could well be a decent asset next year.

Certainly the squad is looking promising with just a few weeks gone in the transfer window and with just a few more names it should look ready to challenge for promotion. Whether the team will be working under Ince, Coppell or someone else is not yet clear, but what is certain is that even though Di Matteo is gone, the objective remains the same, and it should still be achievable.