Waddock Takes Charge at the Kassam

Oxford United announced on Saturday that they had appointed Gary Waddock as their Head Coach. He’s been given a contract that will keep him at the Kassam until the end of the 2015/16 season. He comes from MK Dons where he was head of coaching under Karl Robinson. Waddock’s first game in charge will be the televised game tonight (24 March) between Southend United and Oxford United.

In announcing the appointment Oxford United Chairman said:-

After an extensive selection process, I am delighted that Gary is to become our new Head Coach. He impressed enormously during the interview process, and his references from within the game were excellent. Moreover, his CV brings the exact mix of attributes we stated we were looking for: success as a manager in the lower leagues, top-class coaching experience, understanding of sports science and a track record of playing attacking football and developing young players through into the first team

Gary Waddock said on his appointment:-

I am grateful to Oxford United for having given me this great opportunity, and cannot wait to get started. The club is in a good position, and the immediate priority is to turn that position into promotion at the end of the season.

In the medium term, the Board’s vision is to build on the solid platform that has been put together to take Oxford back up the leagues, where a club of this size belongs. I believe that I can be a part of achieving that ambition, and because I fully buy into the Board’s philosophy of how a football club should be run.

Waddock has previously managed at QPR, he took Aldershot up to League 2, but left Aldershot mid-season (2009) for Wycombe Wanderers. He was sacked by Wycombe in 2012.