Everything Richie Wellens said about his own future in lively pre-MK Dons press conference

Wellens questioned his own future following Tuesday night’s diabolical 6-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.

Here’s everything that was said on that topic today in a conversation between Wellens and BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rob Staton...

RS: Richie you wore your heart on your sleeve after the game against Ipswich, you did mention that you were going to have a chat with Gavin Baldwin and others about the situation. Did you have that conversation?

RW: I always wear my heart on my sleeve, I did it as a player and I’ve done it as a manager. It’s something that probably in the heat of the moment after the game that I need to get better [at].

People talk about learning experiences as a manager, I’m still a very young manager. I’ll learn from that.

I speak to Gavin and to David before and after every game so it's no different. I spoke to Gavin straight after the game and what was said will stay between me and Gavin.

RS: Do you regret saying what you said, I mean you talked about your own future?

RW: You can always delve into it. It shows that you care. It shows that you’re hurt.

The performance of the team, like I said, wasn’t acceptable and that hurts me. Of course it does.

We also have to recognise where we are and what our aims are this year.

I think when you take everything into consideration in the cold light of day after a good night’s sleep then I think the best think to do is I’m asking my players who are just starting out as a team, and we’ve not really seem them as a team much, to fight and to scrap so I think it’s up to me to fight and scrap and lead the way so that’s what I’ll do.

RS: I’m sure you’ll understand why I’m going to ask you a couple more questions about it though…

RW: I don’t see the point. Why?

RS: But are you going to be staying?

RW: I’ve answered the question.

RS: You’ve questioned your own future, are you going to be staying?

RW: I’ve answered the question.

RS: You are staying?

RW: I’ve just said I’m asking the players to fight and to show spirit for the club, then it’s up to me to lead the way. So I will fight and show the spirit to lead the way.

RS: But that’s not an answer to the question as to whether you are staying long term.

RW: How’s that not an answer? I’m going to fight to improve our position.

RS: So you are staying then?

RW: Unless I’m going to go home and have a fight with somebody else.

RS: Long term?

RW: Did I come here to this football club to win promotion this season?

It was going to be a hell of a, hell of a, hell of a tough job to do that.

So I knew what the plan was in two years’ time, especially next summer’s transfer window I know what the plan is. I know what the plan is after that.

I have to accept that it’s going to hurt for me to get to that point.

So there’s no point in me accepting a job and knowing the terms and knowing the restrictions on it for me then to not be happy with those certain restrictions.

Like I said, I’m a fighter and I’m going to fight.

I’ll make sure the players respond to what happens. We’ve only had three home games in the league and we’ve got a couple coming up now and we need the supporters on our side. The players need the supporters on their side.

We need to improve. The biggest thing is we need to improve our reactions to the scoreline. Whether we go one nil up or one nil down, whether we concede a goal or score a goal, it’s changing our mentality and changing the way that we play.

RS: Were you fully aware of the financial constraints at this club when you took the job? Were you fully aware of the whole picture?

RW: I thought everybody was in the same boat. I thought everybody was suffering from Covid.

But then you see some of the teams in this division throwing money at it like there’s no tomorrow.

So that’s where they’re at and that’s where we’re at. I’ve fully known that.

I spoke to you after the game and I cannot ask for a better CEO and better chairman to support me going forward.