Wimbledon v Bradford City: Alex Gilliead suggests Kevin McDonald's more direct approach is the way to go

It might only be up the road, but AFC Wimbledon's stadium is a long way removed from the ground which hosted to Wimbledon FC. The Crazy Gang's golden era came at a time when direct football was all the rage in England.

Nowadays, everything is a bit more refined, the X-rated “reducers” Vinnie Jones and co used to put in firmly outlawed, and coaches everywhere much keener on having the ball played on the grass, not air traffic control monitors.

As ever, though, there is a balance to be struck.

A change of manager, as the Bantams are going through now, gives a chance to reassess what went wrong and a first chance for players to speak candidly – or at least semi-candidly – about it.

It is hard to imagine Gilliead celebrating Mark Hughes' sacking. The former Premier League manager leaned heavily on the midfielder, who spoke in the summer about how he and Glynn Hodges improved his game. But Gilliead does think caretaker manager Kevin McDonald is on the right track by being less dependent on keeping the ball.

For the first time in this season’s League Two, Bradford had less of the ball than the opposition last week – and beat Swindon Town 1-0.

“It was the basics of getting on the front foot and putting pressure on teams in this league, being compact on transition (ie when Bradford give the ball away), not big distances between us,” explained Gilliead.

“You can see from the last two games we've gone a bit longer which in certain games will suit us. Big Andy (Cook) up there does well against any centre-half in this division so it's just playing to his strengths.

“We've got a fit squad and a big squad so the way Kev wants us to play works because you can bring fresh legs on and it's good quality as well.

“You see Man City doing it (playing possession football) with world-class players but it's tougher in League Two.

“We've had games in the last 18 months where teams have just come and sit in and we’ve passed the ball around the back. It's not what the fans want us to do.

“We wanted to be a possession team but it's tough to break teams down. Getting on the front foot, getting in people's faces brings the crowd into the game and out of their seats cheering, even at little tackles here and there.

“I think there's a bit of familiarity about (McDonald's aproach) but you should be able to play any way.

“The old gaffer wanted us to pass the ball out from the back and sometimes we'd get stuck in between should we play out or go long but that was us on the pitch.

“With Kev there was not as much possession but we were in their faces, getting high and getting shots and crosses in. At home especially that's what we need to do with the fans.”

Not that Gilliead wants Bradford to go all old-school Wimbledon either. There is still a place for passing football in League Two, it is just about balance.

“I saw some stats about Notts County being up there (for possession) and they're top of the league,” he points out. “I went to Luton on loan the year before they got promoted and they were direct but they also kept the ball well.

“But you've got to work on it a lot, it can't be done overnight. We tried to change shape this season and it didn't really work for us.

“You've either got the players to do it or you've not and the way we play on the front foot we've got a lot of options in the front area. The players we've got can get out of people and cause people problems.

“If you press defences enough they'll just go long and I think that benefits us. We'll get the ball back and start our attacks.

“A lot of teams were doing that to us at home – pressing us. We were going long and they were getting the ball and coming back at us. We've got a lot of athletic, fit players who can get around the pitch so as long as we buy into it we'll do well.”

Gilliead is certainly enjoying his part in this new course, however long it lasts. Former Sheffield United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham midfielder McDonald insisted at the start he was not ready giving up playing to go into full-time management but he would not be the first caretaker to change his mind after getting the bug.

Chief executive Ryan Sparks is currently whittling down a long list of applicants, including some former managers keen for a second try at Valley Parade, but unlikely to get one. “Him and Darbs (Matt Derbyshire, his player-assistant) come and ask if it's clear what they want us to do and have we got any questions or has anyone said owt,” Gilliead reveals. “He's been very open about how he wants us to play.

“He says if he gets it longer term there's other things he would like to change and work on. He says himself he wants to get back into the playing side of it but it's a funny old game, football, things happen and you don't know where you'll end up.”