PARKER ON PARADE: Caretaker to caretaker dissected as City stumble

PARKER ON PARADE: Caretaker to caretaker dissected as City stumble

BRADFORD City finally have a new manager, but it’s another caretaker.

It seems like a bizarre decision on the face of it, but in this week’s Parker on Parade, the T&A’s chief sports writer Simon Parker explains City’s thinking over Mark Trueman taking charge of this weekend’s FA Cup game with Wycombe.

 

Kevin McDonald made the call to walk away to focus on his role as a player within the Bantams midfield, but has he been put under unfair pressure by taking on the interim job for far longer than he could surely have expected?

Either way, surely the Bantams will have a manager in place this time next week, or possibly even as early as tomorrow according to Mr Parker…

 

The demands for a permanent appointment grew louder after last Saturday’s painful late defeat to rock-bottom Sutton in League Two, as the same old problems caught City out once again.

 

The mood was lifted slightly by Tuesday’s 3-0 EFL Trophy win over Man City’s U21s, which ensured the Bantams reached the knockout stages with a game to spare.

Both Tyler Smith, with his hat-trick, and Jon Tomkinson, with an assured performance at the back, had a good night and can both now push for a starting spot in the regular first XI?

 

League One Wycombe are in town on Saturday and will start the first-round tie as favourites, so is it another game, like in midweek, where City can play with the pressure off a little?

 

And speaking of pressure, amid talk of a matchday boycott and disgruntlement over the handling of the new managerial appointment, does Mr Parker think there is additional scrutiny on owner Stefan Rupp and CEO Ryan Sparks at present?

Parker on Parade is our weekly Bantams video chat, which takes place on Thursdays at around 10am.

The video, along with accompanying article, is usually uploaded on the Telegraph & Argus website around an hour or two later, in time for the lunchtime rush.

 

Due to us both taking alternating holidays, we will be taking a short break from producing the podcast, but we will return with gusto in a few weeks’ time.

 

Remember, you can also keep up to date with all things City by following Mr Parker’s profile on the T&A website.