Ex-U's boss pins faith in Patto

8:00am Thursday 2nd October 2008

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The most successful Oxford United manager of the past decade told the Oxford Mail last night: "Darren's still the best man for the job."

Ian Atkins, who four-and-a-half years ago took the U's to the top of Football League Division 3, after also bringing the club money-spinning FA Cup ties against Swindon Town and Arsenal, said Darren Patterson was as good as any other young manager in the Conference.

But he also acknowledged bosses live and die by results – "and Darren knows that".

This is only Patterson's first full season, and September has only just finished, yet already – with the U's in 20th place – there has been strong speculation that the manager hasn't got much more time left, unless results dramatically improve.

Atkins, who now works for Roy Keane as Sunderland's European scout, said: "The trouble in football now is that everyone wants instant success.

"People don't give you time, especially at a club like Oxford where some of the fans still think they should be in the Championship, which is an unrealistic target, and where expectations are so high."

Experienced bosses and coaches, who have achieved success at other clubs – such as Brian Talbot, Ramon Diaz, Graham Rix and even Jim Smith, in his second spell – have been unable to work the magic at the Kassam Stadium, so is managing Oxford United the impossible job?

"I don't think it is an impossible job," said Atkins, who promoted Patterson to youth team coach after he had finished playing when he was the U's boss.

Among the names touted by some fans as possibly being able to succeed at Oxford are young bosses Mark Cooper, of Kettering, and Mark Yates, of Kidderminster.

But Atkins, a qualified UEFA Pro Licence coach, who has managed in every division outside of the Premier League, said: "Darren's new to management and Oxford is a hard one to take on for your first go at it, but Darren knows the game, he's bright and – to my mind – he's still the best manager for the job.

Last Saturday's results, when Oxford United lost at Lewes and Hull City won at Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League were a painful reminder to U's fans that it was just four-and-a-half years ago that Atkins's Oxford United team and Hull were locked together at the top of League Two.

United even led 2-1, before slipping to a 4-2 defeat, and two months later Atkins found himself dismissed.

"People don't really understand the reasons for me going," he said.

"I never had a penny to spend, I had to cut the wage bill by £800,000 and had got the team to the top of the table – yet still you had the group OxVox trying to get me out."