Gary Rowett previews Oxford United reunion with Liam Manning

 

Gary Rowett previews Oxford United reunion with Liam Manning

 

GARY Rowett has praised the work done so far at Bristol City by former Oxford United head coach Liam Manning.

 

 

The U’s were reunited with Manning back in September, with his Robins side running out 2-1 winners at Ashton Gate.

 

Manning left United for the Robins in November 2023, having only took charge of the U’s that March.

 

He guided United to safety in Sky Bet League One at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, and when he exited early on during the following season, the U’s sat second in the table.

 

Manning finished 11th with the Robins in the Championship last season, and they are currently eighth in the second tier, three points shy of the play-off places.

 

United head coach Rowett said: “I’m more than well aware of his work and the work that he did at MK Dons, and obviously the impact that he had on the pitch here.

 

“In some ways, it surprised me where Oxford were at the time in League One, and how they started that season, but it doesn’t surprise me what he’s gone on to do.

 

“Sometimes when people leave clubs, everybody judges that moment, but it never quite works like that in reality, and you have to make decisions.

 

“The decision is that he’s at Bristol City, and he’s obviously going to try his very best to win the game for his own team, and he’s done a very good job so far this season in getting them to where they are.

When Manning left the U’s for the Robins, he took with him assistant head coach Chris Hogg and first team coach analyst James Krause, while he also signed Marcus McGuane from United back in August.

 

Former U’s centre back Luke McNally was also snapped up from Burnley last summer, while Manning inherited a Robins squad which already had Rob Atkinson, Rob Dickie and Mark Sykes in it, although Atkinson joined Portsmouth on loan earlier this month.

 

Rowett said: “They’re a team and a club that have invested and developed players really well over a period of time.

 

“They’re a club that has invested heavily into the infrastructure as well, and they’ve got a definitive identity, particularly under Liam.

 

“You don’t want to be blasé about any game or any challenge, but each challenge is quite similar, but they have their own nuances around the team.

 

“It’s always about has your team got the right mentality, does your team want to be forceful enough at home without playing into the hands of the opposition, and just finding different ways to deal with good players that every opponent has.”

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