No matter whether the next permanent manager of Bradford City is young or experienced, forward-thinking or traditional, they will face a recurring challenge. If this persistent issue can be resolved, it will greatly improve Bradford City’s chances of moving up from the fourth tier of English football, a goal they are eager to achieve.
Bradford City is known for its impressive attendance numbers at Valley Parade, but when it comes to their performance in League Two matches at home, they have struggled in recent seasons. Over the last two seasons, their performance at home has been worse than their performance on the road. In the 2022-23 season, their home form ranked tenth in League Two, while their away form was fifth. The previous season, in 2021-22, 18 other clubs had better home records than City, which was a concerning statistic. The 2020-21 season wasn’t much better, with their home form ranking 14th.
The current caretaker manager, Kevin McDonald, may lack experience in the dugout, but he brings valuable insights regarding home form and the pressure of representing a prominent club in the lower leagues, drawing from his playing career at Sheffield United and Wolves in the third tier. As the manager, he has brought some positivity to the team with back-to-back league wins. This weekend, they face the ambitious Wrexham, and the pressure is expected to be shared with the visitors.
Such pressure is a part of managing Bradford City, given the expectations that come with the club’s level of competition. McDonald emphasizes that this is precisely why he joined the club in the first place, and he continually reminds everyone of this fact.
McDonald points out, “I’ve seen it at clubs and with certain individuals; pressure can consume you if you let it affect your performance, especially in home games when you’re expected to win. You want to play in front of 17,000 fans every week. That’s why we’re here, and that was a major reason I joined. We should be dominating and winning, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.”
McDonald’s success in securing consecutive League Two wins has given Bradford City some breathing room in their search for a full-time successor to Mark Hughes. A victory against Wrexham, a team considered favorites for promotion, could increase the buzz around McDonald’s chances of becoming the permanent manager.
However, McDonald remains focused on the present and is not getting ahead of himself. He values the experience and understands that it’s a learning process without undue pressure on himself.
While McDonald enjoys some light-hearted banter, he takes coaching and management seriously, viewing it as a natural progression in his football career. He acknowledges that it’s a demanding, 24/7 commitment and has prepared for it by learning from various managers and keeping detailed records of what he’s learned over the years. McDonald appreciates the value of balance, needing to find a playing style that lies between the defensive approach he learned from some managers and the fully attacking style from others.