Changing habits and mindsets will help Warne usher in new style at MK Dons

Learning to adapt to a new style of play is something the MK Dons players are going to have to get used to under Paul Warne.

The time of playing out from the back, possession at all costs football appears to be on the fast train out of Stadium MK under the new head coach in favour of a more incisive and meaningful approach. For a lot of the players though, the old style and regime is inherent and ultimately what they were recruited to the team to play.

Not wholly alien to them though, Joe Tomlinson admitted changing styles of play is more about Warne’s reprogramming, altering muscle memory and automatic processes, doing things as second nature rather than having to learn a completely different way to play the game.

“We’re learning how he wants us to play, and changing the way we want to play from previous managers,” said the 24-year-old. “It’s habits we’re trying to break.

“It’s just a mindset change really. You get used to playing a certain way, and in a game you try not to think too much, you rely on habits. We’ve got a different style coming in, and it’s nothing new to us, but when you’re in the middle of it, we have to get that into your thought process and play in the new way.”

Not just learning how Warne wants them to play, the squad are also having to adapt to the man himself. A lively and animated figure, the new head coach and assistant Richie Barker were recently managing in the Championship with Derby County and will demand high standards from the players.

Only a couple of days out from his appointment though, Tomlinson feels the club have made the right choice.

He said: “He’s brilliant, and from the first meeting he is just what we need. He has all the lads on board, I think he will be brilliant for us.

“He has fantastic pedigree, but he has dropped down to be here. There are positives in that, and we know where this club is aiming, and we knew they would go and get someone as good as him. There is a lot of excitement amongst the boys now.

“We’ve only had one day of training with him, we’re looking forward to learning from him, and getting the feel-good factor again.”