Town boss Mick McCarthy believes MK Dons’ boss Karl Robinson’s warning to his players that they’re playing for their futures at the club will have given them additional motivation ahead of today’s game against the Blues.

After describing last week’s 2-0 defeat at Brentford as the “worst performance of the season by a long way”, Robinson added: "Maybe they're lucky because if this was in January it may be different.

"They've got three weeks to fight for their place to stay not just in the team, but at the club."

McCarthy doesn’t believe Robinson's job will be under any pressure despite his side’s current position fifth from bottom following their promotion in May and says the former non-league centre forward will have been looking for a reaction from his players with those comments.

“I don’t think Pete Winkleman’s like that at all. He’ll be delighted with what Karl has done over his time there and continuing to build the club,” McCarthy said.

“I know I saw Karl had a bit of a rallying call, that the players were playing for their futures over the next few weeks. That’ll be an extra motivational bit for them when we play them, won’t it?

“But that’s the kind of thing you have to do as a manager. You can’t just keep ticking along if results are going well and performances aren’t going well, you’ve got to jolt them into action in some way. Let’s hope it’s not this week they’re jolting into action.”

McCarthy says having a settled club - Robinson took charge in May 2010 - has been one of the reasons behind MK's success since their foundation in 2004.

“I would imagine it’s because they’ve got a good manager, coach, good players, a good way of playing,” McCarthy added.

“They’ve done well in the league, they’ve had a bit of stability, they’ve kept going the same way, doing the same things which have gradually built them up and they’re still doing it now and they’re still a capable team.”

Photo: Action Images

Dissboyitfc added 08:53 - Dec 12 Certainly a better way to motivate and inspire your players than MM's technique of telling under achieving players they are top drawer and a different class and if fit, will start regardless of form. COYB
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jas0999 added 10:19 - Dec 12 Hopefully our players will be fully motivated as well Mick. No excuses for this one, after a defeat last week at home, we need to win. Anything less will be disappointing. We should be and indeed are good enough to beat them.
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Seasider added 11:50 - Dec 12 We don't know what Mick says behind closed doors,and Knudsen hinted that he is not all sweetness and light!However there is no way I am sure, that Mick would criticise his players in public,which is a good thing. On the other hand he gives fulsome praise to some of his players(favourites?)and doesn't make changes even when players have had bad games,which cannot be very motivating for the likes of Jonny Parr or Bart amongst others. Still small criticism for our' Manager of the Month'who has kept us in touch with the top despite the small budget which Carl Robinson says he also has to suffer.It is also heartening that Mr McCarthy is by his own admission trying to play more attractive football,to the delight of most of us;even though he has said previously that he doesn't heed fans views! Just off shortly to a mates to watch on sky,lets hope it is as good a win as the last televised away game! BTW only an 'armchair fan'for away games now,and have hardly missed a home game in well over 50years.

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