Thompson wants an end to the uncertainty at Oldham Athletic
Steve Thompson still wants to be the man to take Oldham Athletic forward.
But whatever happens with regard to filling the vacant managerial post at Boundary Park, he feels it would be in everyone’s best interests for a decision to be made sooner rather than later.
Thompson, who has brought in Latics legend Neil Redfearn as his interim assistant, has engineered a six-game unbeaten run to transform the team from one of the worst performing to one of the best performing in the National League, with 12 points from a possible 18.
But it is three weeks since the club parted company with David Unsworth, and caretaker Thompson feels it is essential for a concrete plan to now be put in place to help them to progress.
“I’ve not heard anything at the moment,” he told The Oldham Times when asked if there had been any indication of who the next manager might be or when a decision might be made.
“I think probably early sometime next week we’ll probably get told.
“It needs sorting 100 per cent. I think the lads need to know.
“Me and Redders will give it our best shot until we know different, but I think for everybody it needs to be sorted once and for all.”
Shaw-born Thompson confirmed after a 2-1 win at Kidderminster that he wanted to be the next manager of Oldham Athletic, his boyhood club. At the time Latics had won three on the spin, but have since gone on to draw the next three, despite taking the lead in all of them.
Nevertheless, Thompson insists his position has not changed.
Asked if he still wanted the job full-time, he said: “One hundred per cent yes.
“It’s the people at the top who will make that decision.
“We’ve galvanised this group, we’ve gone six unbeaten, but it’s still a massive work in progress.
“We know what direction we want to take it, what needs adding to the squad. It’s a fantastic club, great place to be, but there’s still a lot of work needs to be done.”
But Thompson insists he is not fazed by it.
“To take this club forward, me and Redders have sat down, we know what we need, we know what it takes,” he said.
“We’ve got unbelievable experience. We turned Leeds round together, so it doesn’t faze us.
“We’ve galvanised this group, but it’s still a massive work in progress.
“They (the players) are responding to what we’re doing. We’ve gone six unbeaten.
“But I think it needs sorting once and for all for everyone. Everyone wants to know what direction we’re going in and it’s got to be right for everyone, whatever does happen.”
