Peterborough United chairman insists no decision on a new manager has been made
Chairman Darragh MacAnthony has denied reports claiming Peterborough United are on the verge of appointing Luke Williams as their new manager.
The PT, and some National media outlets, suggested former Notts County and Swansea boss Williams was to be unveiled on Monday. Williams is 1/6 favourite to succeed sacked boss Darren Ferguson with one leading bookmaker tonight.
MacAnthony. on an edition of the ‘Hard Truth’ podcast released tonight, stopped short of saying he wasn’t interested in Williams, but revealed he was due to speak to two candidates back-to-back on Monday evening.
MacAnthony’s guest on his podcast was Reading owner Rob Couhig who also sacked his manager, Noel Hunt, on Saturday. The Posh chairman even suggested Couhig should hire Ferguson, but Reading have already decided on their new boss.
MacAnthony also commented on why he let Ferguson’s assistants Kieran Scarff and Kevin Russell leave meaning no senior coach was available to take first-team training on Monday.
MacAnthony said: “I have been thinking about a new manager for a couple of weeks, but, contrary to what Alan Swann and his sources say, I haven’t hired anyone yet. I have a list and I am making two calls back-to-back to two potential managers tonight.
"I did think about keeping one of the coaches on to take training, but that wouldn’t have been fair. It would just have been delaying the inevitable as the new man will want his own staff.
“I feel like I have lost a family member. We haven’t been good for a year, but I wanted to give Darren as long as I could. I’m not a table watcher, but I asked myself could I see a way through? I gave Darren the international break hoping to see the players come out firing after two weeks of good training, but we we weren’t good at Burton and, although we were brilliant for 50 minutes against Blackpool, we ran out of steam against a team with a lot of injuries, and who haven’t been good this season.
"I spoke to Darren after the game. He was giving me his post-match diagnosis when I just stopped him and said ‘we ought to just leave this here.’ I told him I wanted to go in a different direction and he understood. It was the hardest phone call I’ve ever made, but I will always make those calls.
"I then spoke to his staff after Darren had spoken to them. There were a lot of empty seats at our game and it wasn’t a good look.
"I noticed Reading had also sacked their manager so I told Rob to appoint Darren. He’s never managed a club as big as Reading, but they are well down the road to appointing a new boss anyway and knowing Darren he would want a break.”