Joe Kinnear, the Dubliner who pulled Wimbledon back from the brink of relegation, wants a repeat showing with Second Division Luton Town. And the 54-year-old has already given notice, in both actions and words, that he should not be dismissed lightly. The man who saved the Dons from the Premiership exit door, and also took the `Crazy Gang' to FA Cup and Coca-Cola Cup semi-finals as well as the brink of a place in the UEFA Cup in eight years at Wimbledon, has brought his forthright style to Kenilworth Road.
Like the Dons in 1992, Luton's position looks precarious. They sit second bottom of the Second Division, second favourites to join Oxford United as new boys in the Football League's equivalent of the Last Chance Saloon next season.
But Kinnear - out of management since a mild heart attack forced him to leave Wimbledon in 1999 - is back, fit and raring to go. His two games in charge of Luton so far have produced two wins, six welcome points and four goals with one against. And just as importantly they have given notice of the level of commitment and free scoring playing which has been a Wimbledon trademark since that club became members of the Football League.
Kinnear is still relying heavily on deposed Luton boss Lil Fuccillo - expected to be shown the Kenilworth Road exit door this week - when it comes to knowing what he can expect from his new charges. This became embarrassingly clear when Kinnear brought off substitute Tresor Kandol after only 20 minutes of the 3-1 win at Notts County. That Kandol's replacement, Andrew Fotiadis, scored the third and decisive goal, gave what at the time seemed like a rash decision the ultimate credence.
"I didn't like what I saw so I changed it," said Kinnear. But Kinnear will not be harsh on his players as long as they continue to show the sort of commitment for which is old club were famous. "It was just about good old fashioned common-sense, good organisation, and total commitment from the players - that's all any manager can ask," said Kinnear after the 3-1 win over the Magpies. "Giving players licence to express themselves is what it's all about. We've got 20 games left, we've won our first two and as far as I'm concerned it's a new league."
There is no questioning Kinnear's enthusiasm for his fresh start after taking time out of the game to renew his appetite in the close-on two years he has been absent from the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the manager's seat.
"I've taken stock of the situation and obviously my health was the first priority. I've been out of football for a long time but I've had two or three decent offers prior to this. I could have been Sheffield Wednesday's manager if I'd wanted to. I turned my back on that one.
"I got my feet under the table as director of football at Oxford and I really wanted to test myself again. But there have been other considerations for Kinnear outside of the game which so obviously is the driving force in his very make-up. My family came first because it has to be the worst thing in the world to have a heart attack. You are lying in hospital for eight or nine weeks and you are always wondering about the future."
Kinnear has been kept busy during his convalescence even though it has been, as he describes it, on the easy side of football - doing TV work and scouting abroad for new talent. "I wanted to get back on the front line, I wanted to get back in the dug-out and working with the players on a daily basis," he said.
But Kinnear would not have jumped back on the football treadmill without the right opportunity, revealing why he probably turned down Sheffield Wednesday in May of last year following their own relegation from the Premiership.
"The owners have given me carte blanche - I don't like to go anywhere unless I can do what I like. I can run the club as I see fit, I can buy and sell who I like, I can hire and fire who I like. They've trusted me with the whole club." (PA)
Filed by Seán Folan
