AFC Wimbledon interim boss takes different approach to bring best out of his players in win over Southend

BY MAX HALL

AFC Wimbledon caretaker manager Simon Bassey took an unusual approach to gee up his players at half time at home against Southend.

“I asked them to have a bit more fun in the second half,” said the long-serving Dons coach, to a team enduring an eight-match losing streak in League One.

“We were a little bit tight in the first half when we passed it, we were a little bit fragile in terms of running out of our shape. I asked them if they want to have fun playing football, they said ‘yeah’, and I said ‘well go and show me then’.”

Although Bassey may not have used exactly those words, according to midfielder Anthony Wordsworth, who said he wasn’t able to repeat the temporary manager’s exact instructions.

“Second half, I thought they did that instantly,” added Bassey, after Mitch Pinnock’s cross dropped in after the break to earn the Dons a long-awaited league victory.

“These past couple of weeks I’ve tried to stress to them what it means to play for this club, it’s been a difficult period of time but I’m absolutely delighted with the lads, the character they showed again, to come back from behind at home – especially with our home form – I was delighted to pick up three points today.”

PICTURE BY SEAN GOSLING