Watson won't look too far ahead regarding his future at MK Dons
The future may be unclear, but Ian Watson is not looking too far ahead with regards to his future at MK1
Coach Ian Watson is not concentrating on what his long-term future at MK Dons could be while the search for a new head coach rumbles on.
Now four weeks since Scott Lindsey’s sacking, Dons appear no closer to announcing his replacement, with interim Ben Gladwin set to take charge of his seventh game on Wednesday night when the side takes on Notts County at Meadow Lane.
Watson was a popular part of Mike Williamson’s coaching staff last season, and departed with the ex-Newcastle United defender for Carlisle United last September. He returned though upon the departure of Lindsey last month when he was called in by sporting director Liam Sweeting to act as support for Gladwin in preparing the team.
Working on the basis that he will do the job until told otherwise, Watson admitted thoughts of his own future at the moment would be selfish on his part, instead throwing himself headlong into the job at hand.
“You have to park it because it's not fair to the players,” he said. “I've been asked to come and help the players and coaches, and I have to give it everything I can. If I'm thinking about my future, how does it affect me then I'm not giving it everything, and that's not fair. I have to be present, live for every moment and concentrate on training, and then how we can improve it for tomorrow, and working on the things I can affect.
“When I go downstairs, that might be the mood around the place, and then the details for tomorrow. There will be a lot of people who want this job, it's an unbelievable football club and there is no ceiling on how far it can go.
“I knew how lucky I was to be here previously. Going away and coming back only refreshes that. Being back, I'm pinching myself and really enjoying working for everyone at this club.
“People are everything. Everyone has a stadium, it's bricks, water, grass, but the actual people make a football club and the people here are unbelievable. The players are an unbelievable group. I always said it's their game, it belongs to them, and I wanted to help them feel like themselves again and express how good they are on the pitch.
“They know how much I want to help them. Sometimes we get lost in what football is, but it belongs to the players, everyone comes to watch them play. I want to help them, and they understand what angle I'm coming from, and the help I want to offer them is genuine and nothing to do with ego.”
Working for the first time with Gladwin, Watson said he has been hugely impressed by the 32-year-old since returning to the club, feeling the pair have aligned on their views for what the team should look like.
He continued: “Ben has been amazing, he has such a high ceiling as a coach and he will work at the top level, there is no doubt about it. He's come in with his own concepts and thoughts, and we're really aligned in our thoughts of how we want to see the game.
“We know what we want to see here, but we have to get it on the grass too. Obviously there are things we have to get better at, but you can see in the first few games the ideas and concepts Ben wants to see.”