League One teams would be envious of MK Dons' squad depth - Kelly
Do MK Dons already have a squad ready for League One?
Promotion is the undisputed goal for MK Dons this season, but the future could already be in secure hands according to midfielder Liam Kelly.
With a squad put together by Paul Warne over the summer, Kelly feels Dons, while still keeping their eyes firmly on the League Two promotion race, could make the transition into the third tier now with the quality of players they have at their disposal.
“A lot of League One clubs would would like this sort of talent coming off the bench,” said Kelly after Saturday’s FA Cup win over League Two counterparts Oldham. “We saw Gethin (Jones), Collo (Aaron Collins) and Pato (Callum Paterson) come off, with Mendez-Laing, Gilbs (Alex Gilbey) and Aaron Nemane coming on. We’re very lucky.
“It starts with the gaffer, who is a Championship manager, so we’re lucky to have him and his coaches. He has the pull to bring those sorts of players in from a higher level. From day one, they’re the ones who have raised the standard and that’s what we’ve needed.
“Every day, we look at players like Pato, Mendez and Collo and see the standards they set. And if we can all see players of their calibre setting those standards, the only option is to do it as well. We’re doing well, on a bit of a run so it’s all good.
“Players know though they have to keep the standards high because you’ve got players sitting behind you, and it’s the same for everyone. Everyone will be needed.”
With the hectic Christmas period coming up, where seasons can be made or indeed broken, Kelly admitted there is likely to be a lot of squad rotation to ensure players are fresh and indeed match-fit ahead of the New Year and the ramp up in the promotion race.
He continued: “The team that starts this week might not be the same team which starts on New Year’s Day. There will be a lot of changes, and the lads who come in must be ready. That is the type of group we have though, when someone comes in and you’re on the bench, you’re ready to go.
“There are plenty of places to play for. In midfield we know Dan (Crowley) is coming back from injury, at wing-back we’ve got Nemane and Geth, Joe and Mellish. That will help us through this busy period.”