Since taking over the Chairboys in early February, Mike Dodds has received plenty of flack from supporters after last season’s disappointing end.
Football is a game of opinions, and plenty of people share differing views on many different things, it’s part and parcel of not only football, but life itself.
Dodds split opinions amongst Wanderers fans after his appointment, as results and performances varied, and the Chairboys were ultimately unable to find a level of consistency which cost them promotion.
In the final six games of last season, momentum picked up with three straight wins, but then three straight defeats with just one goal scored undid all the hard work, and cast doubts into the fans again.
Neither play-off match was a great watch, with it ultimately being decided by a moment from Matty Godden.
However, Wycombe weren’t comprehensively beaten, and still had plenty of chances to swing the tie in their favour over the 180 minutes of play.
But the disappointment of missing out on promotion is long behind everyone now, and an exciting summer full of change has completely reshaped the mood around the club.
Despite this, questions are still being asked by fans on social media about whether Dodds is the right man to lead the club forward.
Last term, the 39-year-old was thrown in at the deep end with a squad that wasn’t his, and he had to select an XI from arguably the most talented Wycombe squad ever, which must’ve been almost impossible.
Now, Dodds has had the summer to bring in the players he wants, and clear out some of the squad to prevent those awkward conversations, which will make life much easier for him.
Time will now tell as to whether the former Sunderland man will become the second boss in Wycombe history to lead the club to the Championship, with his new-look squad beginning to take shape.
The victory over Cheltenham Town on Saturday was a sign of strong progress from the team, with the early showing of a clear playing identity visable.
Dodds has been more animated on the touchline, barking out orders to his side and looking a completely different man to the one who ended the season.
It’s clear to see his confidence has grown hugely over the off season, which is excellent to see, as the pressure cooker of a promotion fight could’ve been detrimental.
Some may dismiss this next passage of the article, saying that being a nice guy doesn’t excuse poor results. Whilst that statement is correct, it’s certainly a key factor in building a strong rapport with the supporters.
Mike spoke about his desire to get to know the fans once again post Cheltenham, and once the fans get to see the human side of Mike, as well as the excellent coach, they will understand that he possesses the key qualities of a Wycombe head coach.
Dodds is an enthusiastic and extremely likeable man, who lives and breathes football, but most importantly, he understands what it means to be Wycombe.
As both of the previous Wanderers bosses who were both huge successes, the 39-year-old has the correct mindset and work ethic to follow suit.
Of course, things won’t be an overnight success, which was a similar case with both Gareth Ainsworth and Matt Bloomfield, and Dodds absolutely deserves the same level of patience as his predecessors.
Ultimately, the message is a simple one, draw a line in the sand from last season and get behind Mike with this clean slate next season.
It was absolutely a disappointment to lose out on promotion last term, but the amount of change in a short period of time would’ve been difficult for players to process, alongside a promotion battle.
But the side of Mike Dodds some of the supporters are yet to see, the human side, once again proves that he has all the key qualities to be a success at Wycombe, it’s just a case of the two parties getting to know each other better.
