Paul Warne was recently announced as the new head coach at MK Dons. The former Rotherham United and Derby County will be the third permanent manager in the MK dugout this campaign.
While on the surface, a serial promotion winner at League One level tied in with a club that are often favourites at League Two level may sound like a comfortable job, the different stylistic approaches of the club and the coach may pose questions.
While Warne’s CV is well above League Two level, is he the right man for MK Dons?
Will Paul Warne’s philosophy translate at Stadium MK?
‘The MK way’
Previous coaches in the dugout at the Buckinghamshire club have all served towards stylistic foundations that have been built at the club over the years.
With Russel Martin, Liam Manning, Mike Williamson and Scott Lindsey having served at the club in recent years, Don’s sides over the years have been largely renowned for an attacking, attractive, possession-based philosophy.
This style has been implemented at all levels of the club, often acknowledged as ‘the MK way’ and an integral part of the club’s matchday experience and overall identity.
However, currently sitting 19th in League Two only three years after the club missed out on automatic promotion to the Championship (ironically missing out to Paul Warne’s Rotherham United) cracks have appeared in the club’s philosophy.
Having built their squad and appointing both Mike Williamson and Scott Lindsey to enact this style, the team has the joint-worst defensive record in the division and has been on the losing end of over half their league fixtures.
Often dominating the ball while creating little, local press at The MKCitizen have pointed out the style to be “exposing their weaknesses more than their strengths“.
Substance over style?
On the other hand, Paul Warne’s CV boasts four promotions from League One in the last seven years at Derby County and Rotherham United respectively.
His successes in the third tier have often been attributed to more robust, gritty, and direct approaches to winning games.
While the inverse of ‘the MK way’ there is no denying that the manager knows how to win games and promotions in the lower divisions.
Quotes from Warne in the MKCitizen have seen the coach express his ‘substance over style’ philosophy, having criticised the style of play implemented this season.
“We over-complicate the game too much, for me.
“There are so many stats out there, you can go insane. My style is trying to win. It’s quite binary. When we’re on the ball, I want the lads to play forwards.
“When we have the ball, it’s an opportunity to score, it’s an opportunity to do something great.”
Additionally, MK Dons fan and EFL expert Luke Payne has expressed disappointment with the club’s approach, deeming the time for change necessary.
“The MK way is all about possession football, building slowly but when done poorly it just becomes passive and the team tries to score ‘the perfect goal’.
“Paul Warne is a transition away from the MK way. For us it’s no longer about playing pretty football, it’s simply about winning.
“Dons have spent too long struggling in League Two and need to do whatever it takes to get promoted, even if that means sacrificing the style of play”
With the club heavily underachieving and set to achieve its lowest-ever league finish since their establishment in 2004, frailties in the philosophy need to be addressed and it may be time for the club to press focus on simply winning and getting back to the third tier.
However, this will not be an overnight fix, with the established philosophy well embedded throughout the club, the summer ahead for MK Dons will be pivotal.
A last shot at redemption?
Forever an unforgiving sport, this move presents a scenario that needs to go well for both the club and the manager.
As previously mentioned, remodeling the club’s well-established style while the team currently sits in its’ lowest-ever position may need to be an instant success.
Meanwhile, Paul Warne’s career trajectory over the last two years has been interesting.
Having left a legacy at Rotherham United with three promotions and replicating this success last campaign by assuring Derby County’s return to The Championship. The coach was relieved of his duties at Pride Park earlier this year.
With both the club and manager having been at the top of League One in very recent years, this job could prove pivotal in establishing the trajectories of both Warne and MK in years to come.
While an overnight fix is not to be expected, it should be expected that many will have MK Dons amongst the promotion favourites going into the 2025-26 League Two campaign.
Similarly, it is make or break for Paul Warne, success sees the manager’s reputation remain prestigious at lower league level, but failure could hurt the coach’s prospects.
Overall, the appointment of Paul Warne marks not only a change in head coach but a stylistic revamp at Stadium MK, with potential ‘make or break’ while the club approaches its’ lowest ever finish, MK Dons’ summer is one to watch.
Hear more from THE DECK’s Luke Payne, who discussed the appointment further on the Fourth Tier Fever podcast: