Verdict: Time for Bantams to name new boss after Sutton woe

ENOUGH is enough – it’s make-your-mind-up time for the Bantams.

The deadline has surely been reached to announce the next manager.

Whether it’s going to be Kevin McDonald or one of the potential candidates that have been interviewed in the last couple of weeks, the moment has arrived to make the big call.

Touchline reality has kicked in for the caretaker boss; the honeymoon well and truly over after back-to-back away defeats.

While the unbeaten bounce of his early games afforded the club time to mull over their next move, the cold chill of losing to two teams who had forgotten what it was like to win has surely removed the safety net.

McDonald cut an immensely-frustrated figure as City were floored by a late sucker punch at Sutton.

Losing at the bottom club is hardly the strongest claim to get the job full time – that’s if he wants it anyway.

Chief executive Ryan Sparks will surely put him on the spot now and find out if McDonald seriously intends to throw his name into the hat or go back to the security of the two-season playing contract that brought him to Valley Parade in the first place.

Otherwise, focus on the short-list that will have been drawn up from those others coveting the position – and then push to get a deal sorted.

The period of limbo cannot continue as City stumble around in the lower reaches of the table.

Draws in their two encounters with teams in League Two’s top three have been countered by losing away to both sides currently propping up the rest in the relegation positions.

Someone needs to be given full control to get a proper grip on a season that, a third of the way down the track, is still going through the motions.

It’s fine talking a good game – and the narrative from the dressing room keeps trotting out the line that there is nobody to be scared of – but where is the consistent evidence to back that up?

Things cannot be allowed to drift any longer.

Whether it’s McDonald, Danny Cowley, Dean Holden or someone that might not even feature on the ever-changing list of contenders posted by the bookies, it’s time for the club’s big reveal.

Sutton needed just four minutes to open the scoring (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Frustration is bubbling up in the fanbase as criticism grows for Stefan Rupp and Ryan Sparks over the public wall of silence.

The work may be going on frantically behind the scenes but the lack of any announcement just stirs up further angst on the back of a demoralising week on the pitch.

First a defeat against a team winless in their previous nine games; then another against a team who had lost 12 out of 15.

Hats off to the 648 supporters who traipsed to south London – many of whom, no doubt, would have also got back in the early hours in midweek from an equally fruitless mission to Milton Keynes.

Real kick in the teeth for McDonald

They deserve some clarity about what the club’s next step will be.

The last few weeks have been valuable experience for McDonald, however his own current situation may pan out.

A keen student of coaching techniques from his previous clubs, he will have banked the knowledge that comes from being out there in charge on the frontline.

He held up his hand to a “battering” at MK Dons – one which he suffered at close quarters playing in it – but Sutton was the first real kick in the teeth for his rookie touchline career.

Whereas Milton Keynes could have doubled their four-goal tally and still had change left over, Sutton had two efforts on target and scored with both.

The winning header was not provided by Harry Smith or Omar Showunmi, the most towering pillars in the home side, but from 5ft 8in Harry Beautyman.

And it came at the end of a second half where City had done the bulk of the attacking and created all the good chances – all bar one.

No wonder Sutton keeper Dean Bouzanis ran the length of the field to jump on top of the pile of yellow bodies that celebrated only their second winner since the first game of the season.

The euphoric singing in the bar long after the final whistle showed how much it meant for a team who are still bottom of the pile.

Contrast that with the sullen West Yorkshire faces setting off in the heavy rain for the long trek home.

They had travelled south in the hope of seeing the reaction to the MK horror show that McDonald had predicted.

Richie Smallwood and Jamie Walker were back from suspension, Matty Platt restored to his regular slot at the heart of the back four.

There was also a first start in a month for Clarke Oduor as Bobby Pointon was withdrawn from the firing line – McDonald later stressing that any of the forward players could have made way after Tuesday.

A different look to the team but a depressingly familiar start as Sutton followed MK Dons’ lead by striking after just four minutes.

Possession for possession's sake

It began from a long throw in their own half, Smith proving too strong for Liam Ridehalgh and then Aiden O’Brien flicking on quickly to open up the space.

Josh Coley’s darting run blindsided Smallwood and he got off a shot before Brad Halliday could slide across that sneaked in the near post.

That was pretty much it for a nondescript first half. City proceeded to have most of the ball but did nothing with it – shades of the Mark Hughes’ possession for possession’s sake afternoons.

McDonald got into the players at half-time to start moving the ball with a bit of urgency, particularly when they got nearer the home goal.

Jamie Walker was one of four changes from Kevin McDonald (Image: Thomas Gadd)

They caught a break when Showunmi, who had controlled Andy Cook up to that point, was forced off in a daze after a meaty shot from Alex Gilliead cannoned off his head.

Cook finally had some breathing room and quickly took advantage as he slipped past Showunmi’s replacement Louis John to convert Oduor’s corner.

The number nine’s first goal since Hughes left the building was so nearly followed by another as a sweetly-struck volley from the edge of the box pinged against the Sutton bar.

For a spell, it was all City and Cook as the home side hung on. But the second goal failed to materialise.

The deadlock was broken at the other end instead as Craig Clay got away from a dawdling Tyler Smith to cross and Beautyman rose above Pointon to head into the bottom corner.

And all eyes turn to the Valley Parade hierarchy.