‘Lessons need to be learned’ – Johnnie Jackson expecting AFC Wimbledon player turnover this summer

BY EDMUND BRACK
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

Johnnie Jackson has promised there will be a turnover of players at AFC Wimbledon this summer and admitted the club have to learn lessons from this season.

Senior professionals Alex Pearce, Ethan Chislett, George Marsh, Isaac Ogundere, Chris Gunter and Aaron Pierre are all out of contract in the summer while loanees Sam Pearson, Armani Little, Saikou Janneh, Diallang Jaiyesimi and Kasey McAteer all return to their parent clubs next month.

The Dons looked capable of mounting a play-off challenge at the start of the January transfer window but are now 17th in the League Two table and nine points above the bottom two with five games remaining.

They sold Ayoub Assal to Qatari side Al-Wakrah for a club-record deal in the phoenix era and also lost key loanees Ryley Towler and Paris Maghoma in the winter window.

Wimbledon have collected five points from a possible 30, the lowest return over that period along with Doncaster Rovers.

“There will be a turnover in players – like there is at most clubs every year,” admitted Jackson, who was appointed as Dons boss shortly after being sacked by Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard in May.

“But what we can’t do is have the same things happen next season – we need to shape it that way. We have to learn the lessons of this year.We have to learn from what we did in the window, the injuries we have had and also what I know about the league and what I know about the squad. We have a lot of work to do in the summer.

“There was a hangover from last year – it has lingered a little bit. We need to address that and freshen it up as much as we can for next season.”
Wimbledon were 2-1 up against promotion-hopefuls Salford City on Monday but conceded two late goals in stoppage time to fall to a 3-2 defeat.

“That’s why it’s hard to take – we have got nothing to show for it but played really well,” said Jackson, who takes his side to Stevenage tomorrow. “Once the hurt wears away, I’ll look at the game – how we set up – and look at whether we got it right.

“Football is a tough game. You have to go every four or five days – you have to find it from within.

“The players will be hurting. They will want to go back out there as soon as possible to get it right.

“We have got a big game tomorrow against a tough opposition – they have to be ready to fight again.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD