'It felt like the end' - reaction to Williams sacking

Luke Williams was dismissed by Peterborough United on Saturday after 11 months in charge [Getty Images] Peterborough United's poor start to the season saw manager Luke Williams sacked after their 2-0 defeat at home by fellow League One strugglers Doncaster Rovers. Williams was relieved of his duties after the full-time whistle, the club's fifth league match without a victory, which left them second-bottom of the third tier table. After United's thumping 5-1 win at Watford in the EFL Cup last month, they have struggled to create opportunities since and have not scored in three of their past five matches. The club has now begun its search for an eighth new permanent manager in the past decade. "Posh didn't have a shot on target in 90 minutes and that's poor at home," BBC Radio Cambridgeshire commentator Chris Dowsett said. "The fact they were playing a team that hadn't won all season, were bottom at the start of play, and coupled with the fact that Posh played Stevenage at home a couple of weeks previously and also didn't have a shot on target then - it was the killer really. "We know [chairman] Darragh MacAnthony likes to play attacking football - he likes his side to score lots of goals. If you're not getting anywhere near the opposition goal twice in a season, I think that really, really stuck with him. "And two wins in 22 league games - that's effectively half a season - is a really poor record. It just felt like it had to be the end, unfortunately." Attention now turns to Peterborough's next appointment Posh head towards the international break which begins after their trip to Stockport on Saturday. Former Exeter City midfielder Ryan Harley has taken charge in the interim without any previous managerial experience having been Williams' assistant but is not expected to be the club's long-term choice. "There's a few names that are across most fans' lips. The main one is Karl Robinson," Dowsett told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. "He gets on well with Darragh MacAnthony and that's a big factor in the job. You have to be able to work with him to be able to succeed. "I think it's going to be someone out of work or it's going to be someone that is working in an academy, perhaps at a Premier League club. "I wouldn't be surprised if Posh get someone in for their first managerial job." Peterborough United supporter Becky said she believed it was time for Williams to go. "His heart didn't seem in the club anymore," she said. "I believe we need a more verbal manager. I'd go for Robbie Savage. He has fire in his belly and I have no doubts he'd get our players firing on all cylinders. "I also think he'd work very well under Darragh MacAnthony." Darragh MacAnthony has been the club's chairman for the past 20 years [Getty Images] 'Not a great record of picking managers' Analysis - Peter Swan, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Luke Williams had been cutting an increasingly frustrated figure and the writing was probably on the wall following Tuesday's EFL Cup win over Barnsley. Rather than basking in the glow of a rare victory, Williams chose to highlight some of the flaws in his own team selection and tactics, seemingly hinting at picking a side he didn't really want to pick. He then doubled down ahead of the weekend, labelling his opinion on team selection as "absolutely irrelevant" and describing Peterborough United as being "managed by a consortium people". Posh were poor against Doncaster and for the second time this season, they failed to register a single shot on target. Williams leaves London Road with only two wins from his final 22 league matches, stretching back into last season. However, summer reinforcements took time to arrive owing to the club's financial position. Four of Williams' better performers from last season, Archie Collins, Jimmy-Jay Morgan, Kyrell Lisbie and Tom Lees left the club, and the evidence to date is that they haven't been adequately replaced. Injuries to key players – particularly in defence - have also proved costly. So what happens next? Darragh MacAnthony doesn't have a great record of picking managers. During his time as Posh owner, MacAnthony has appointed eight managers who aren't called Darren Ferguson - they've lasted an average of nine months in the job. The Posh hierarchy have time to consider their options though. Following Saturday's trip to Stockport in League One, Posh have a two-week break from league action. All the latest Peterborough United news