No distractions for Bantams caretaker boss Kevin McDonald

Caretaker boss McDonald will take charge for the third time tomorrow at Wimbledon after a 100 per cent start.

The midfielder has won back-to-back games since being given the nod by Ryan Sparks to fill the breach following the sacking of Mark Hughes.

McDonald is in regular contact with the chief executive – but is not looking for constant updates on the hot-seat situation.

“That’s his side,” said McDonald. “I’d never be kept in the loop as a player and obviously it’s different now but no, I’d prefer not to know.

“Ryan has been spot on and told me to get in contact if there’s anything I want.

READ MORE: Bantams will appeal over Osadebe red card

READ MORE: Tulloch clear to return to squad against Wimbledon

“We speak pre-game and post-game, how I’m going to set the team up and things like that. But that’s what I want my focus to be on.

“I can’t afford to start thinking about longer term or what if this or that happens.

“It’s been quite hectic since last Thursday with Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday games. It’s been 100 miles an hour.

“Come next week, potentially we might chat and see what’s happening on that side of things.

“But this week the sole focus has been on putting out a team that is able to perform and try and win games.”

Fans thought Mark Trueman would take temporary charge after Hughes went as he has done twice previously – as well as managing the team full-time alongside Conor Sellars in 2021.

Sparks turned to McDonald instead but the big Scot has been grateful for Trueman’s support in the dug-out.

He added: “I knew Truey had been a caretaker and manager before but I think it was unexpected for everyone as a whole.

“We’re a group of players and staff, the message will never change. We’re here to work, there’s no animosity at all within that.

“Nobody wants a manager to get sacked, like I said last week. The reason he got sacked is because of us on the pitch on a Saturday.

“So, I think that at moments like this everyone’s got to pull together and the staff have done.

“Truey has been a huge part of it. He took the team on Tuesday.

Mark Trueman took charge of the team against Grimsby (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“I was certainly culpable of a couple of things that went wrong. But Truey took the team and I thought it was a good performance on the whole.

“He’s been good along with everyone in the staff. They’ve all bought into it.”

McDonald is likely to be back on coaching duty at Plough Lane after his midweek appearance on the pitch in the EFL Trophy.

Having previously dismissed the idea of being able to combine both roles, he feels it can be done if playing sparingly.

"I think it's sustainable when you've got good staff members around you.

"Do I believe it would be harder? Yes, it would be harder.

"If you want to be a player-manager and play every single game, it'd be hard. If you want to dip in and out, it's sustainable for sure.”

But in the short term, McDonald insists nobody is getting side-tracked by what might happen as City look to pick up from a slow start to the season.

“In my eyes, we’re here to get results as a football club.

“The situation is bigger than myself and a group of players, it’s about the club being successful.

“We’ve been two games now and I’m not going to get carried away, not even if we won again on Saturday.

“It’s not going to change how I am but I think there is a bigger picture – and that’s winning games in the long term ultimately leading to what everybody wants which is promotion.

“That’s the end goal for me and everyone within the building.”