Kyle Dixon's U-turn upsets boss Steve Kittrick

[Chris]

AFC Telford: Loanee Kyle Dixon's U-turn upsets boss Steve Kittrick.

AFC Telford United loan player Kyle Dixon has upset manager Steve Kittrick by telling him that he wants to leave - barely a fortnight after coming in.

The 20-year-old defender was scheduled to spend the rest of the season at the Bucks Head following his arrival on loan from Notts County on 2 January.

But he now wants to return to Conference North side Boston United, where he had previously been on loan.

"He's done himself a lot of harm with Notts County and us," said Kittrick.

Dixon has made two second-half substitute appearances since coming to Telford, but he had clearly arrived expecting to be part of the starting line-up.

"He rang me on Sunday and told me that because he's not playing he wants to go back to Boston," Kittrick told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"Apparently they can't recall him, as he's signed with us on a long-term loan and he can't go back, so I'm afraid he's going to be sat in the stands unless something miraculous happens.

"That's what you've got to manage sometimes. Immaturity in a player. To be fair to the kid, he's killed himself because he signed for us and has to stay with us. I don't want a player that doesn't want to be at Telford."

Dixon was left out of the squad by Kittrick for Tuesday night's twice-postponed 4-0 FA Trophy second-round defeat at Fylde.

Just three days after winning at Wrexham by the same 4-0 scoreline, Telford put in a feeble performance in wintry Lancashire as Kittrick's side lost for the first time in six games since he took charge on 22 December.

"As good as we were against Wrexham on Saturday, we were as poor here," added Kittrick. "People haven't wanted to put a foot in.

"Psychologically, some of them have turned up and thought, after Wrexham, we'll beat these easy. But they got about us in the first 10 minutes and there was only one winner."

This isn't good to read, however I feel there may be more to it. That said, It's not professional to expect to walk straight into the squad, without proving himself. No matter what he should keep his head down and discuss it with Notts rather than come straight out, he needs to adjust and I think this can be labelled as 'inexperience'.

Thoughts?

[Northants Pie]

If true, strikes me that he believes he is better than he is.

 

Silly boy, probably end up in the local leagues around Notts if he carries on with that attitude

[Chris]

If he gets another chance, he should focus on proving himself because I know he can at that level.

I do think the managers gone a little OTT, yet I respect he needs to balance his squad and show them that he's the 'manager' and players dont pick themselves unless they perform up to scratch. That said I do think if both are unhappy, then Telford should send him back. If I was the Telford manager I would get him to sit on the bench for a couple of games, after having a length chat but I think I would have respected the fact he spoke to me.

The situation isn't good for either though.

[Feral Fox]

Six of one here. Both sides could have handled it better imo. Bad for us because it's a player not playing for half a season. Bye bye Kyle me thinks.

[Chris]

@hissingdwarf - Will Derry like it?

You know Kyle is great lad and a good prospect but I have my doubts if he will be offered a deal at the club. It's not exactly good PR but like I say I wonder if there's more to this. Could he have promised regularly football (the Telford manager) in order to get him on loan?

Who knows but it will either push him on or it will send him back.

[Feral Fox]

@notts-joe I think SD will be cross with both parties. Kyle is never going to be good enough so I think SD will show him the door sooner rather than later.

[Savo]

What a load of rubbish. How all you lot can write him off because a two bit manager has come out and said that I'll never know. At the start of the season he was all in line to be in with the first team and more than likely end up being the first choice right back but got injured pre season. He's gone out on loan to regain fitness and get some experience and he gets slagged off based on one crappy article that's written to make him look bad.

At the end of the day he's a good lad who's down to earth and got his head screwed on. He knows sitting on Telford's bench will do nothing for him and his progression which he's ultimately got to put before anything else.

And besides the point but why aren't Telford playing him? They're bottom of the league and have a just got a young, hungry player come to them and what to they do? Sit him on the bench. We all know he's far too good to play for them anyway. Where's the logic?!

[Chris]

@Savo Opinions make the world go round.

Pre season Kyle impressed, he looked eager to prove his worth to Derry but the injury set him back. I spoke to him before he originally went out and I asked him how he felt he chances was for making the first team. His response was 'The lads make it hard for me to be selected, Dumbuya's come in and he's doing well. I need game time to get my match sharpness back'. Now that is the attitude of someone who wants to prove a point.

It's a sad fact that players won't make the grade, it doesn't even matter if you rate or like them as a person. I do both, he's a nice lad and I think he will go far and I'd prefer that to be with us but I do get the feeling he will be one of five released at the end of the season.

Let's face Balmy's release shocked people.

It's for him prove, people are entitled to their opinions as I believe you are.

I stand by my original comment, I think it's bad for both Telford and Kyle Dixon.

I don't blame him because he's young and he will be full of 'hopes', yet the last thing you do is declare 'I want out' two weeks into arriving into a new squad. I am sure you would have comments if a senior player did this, perhaps you recall opinions on players like Arquin? I was one of few who actually defended him.

The Telford manager is within the lower leagues for a reason, I don't think him 'speaking' to the media puts himself across and I believe this should have been handled privately, other clubs will take note of this (as will scouts). What the manager should have done is spoke privately, perhaps Kyle himself should have arranged to speak about his concerns, ask what he could do to improve rather than asking to leave? If we shun away from discussing things because people can't accept opinions where would the world be now?

Both are to blame, there is absolutely no point Telford having him if the manager has no desire to play him but it works both ways.

 

[Pies4u]

Sadly, Dixon has done himself no favours here, at all. The fact that he expected to be starting at that level is not surprising but his reaction is. His relationship with Telford's manager has, clearly, disintegrated.

I've not seen a lot of him but I've heard plenty of folks talk about his ability. On the few occasions that I have seen him play nothing has suggested that he is anywhere near good enough for League 1 football yet. He needs to be playing at a competitive level and developing his trade. The fact that he isn't pulling up any trees at Conf level, and wants to go down a League, is a tad concerning tho'.

Derry's suggestion that he would be playing right back was, quite frankly, one of the wilder & most outrageous ideas I think I've heard. On a par with asking Curtis Thompson to play there. Not sure what goes through Derry's mind sometimes tbh. His lack of self control & indisciplined rants at the officials, every game, are just as much of a concern - but there we are.

Dixon has potential but has yet to mature and secure a future for himself. Behaving like a Prima Donna isn't going to help his cause.

[liampie]

What a load of rubbish. How all you lot can write him off because a two bit manager has come out and said that I'll never know. At the start of the season he was all in line to be in with the first team and more than likely end up being the first choice right back but got injured pre season. He's gone out on loan to regain fitness and get some experience and he gets slagged off based on one crappy article that's written to make him look bad.

At the end of the day he's a good lad who's down to earth and got his head screwed on. He knows sitting on Telford's bench will do nothing for him and his progression which he's ultimately got to put before anything else.

And besides the point but why aren't Telford playing him? They're bottom of the league and have a just got a young, hungry player come to them and what to they do? Sit him on the bench. We all know he's far too good to play for them anyway. Where's the logic?!

how can you write this? just re read what you wrote for a minute.

the two bit manager part is about all i really agree with myself, dixons asked of this himself by not giving it longer to settle. telford or boston? well i know which would help him gain better experience. the article makes him look bad because of his actions. if he cant break into their squad i think its concerning, what happens after a few years of not even getting on the bench here?

swings and roundabouts.

[DangerousSausage]

That said, It's not professional to expect to walk straight into the squad, without proving himself. No matter what he should keep his head down and discuss it with Notts rather than come straight out, he needs to adjust and I think this can be labelled as 'inexperience'.

 

I agree, it hardly speaks in his favour that he asked to leave after less than three weeks rather than fighting for his place. However, it's also unprofessional on the manager's part to go running straight to the media about it - it smacks of something Gary Mills would do.

[Chris]

@DangerousSausage - Yeah I've said that.

He's gone OTT and as a result he's named and shamed Kyle. I've said on our FB page that they should have held private talks, I don't agree that the phone or running to the media is the best way to put across the emotion side of things. You cannot blame him for wanting to play! Yet at the same time you can't blame the Telford manager from being less than impressed.

Let's face it both parties could have handled this better.

[Fan of Big Tone]

Let's face it both parties could have handled this better.

 

 

Totally agree with that, Kyle should have stayed and fought for his place 3 weeks is ridiculous, I understand he wants to play all the time but it's up to the manager, he picks the team. The manager was also at fault for making this public, it should have been kept in house between the parties concerned, it hasn't done anyone any good being made public.

[upthepies]

It leaves the question why didn't he report back to notts?

Seems a bit risky handling something of this nature over the phone, it could be taken any way. I dont think either him or the manager have acted with much respect towards each other.

[Savo]

Everyone is jumping to conclusions that he's immature and acting like a prima donna based on what there manager has said. We haven't heard Kyle's side of his. There must have been something else that has happened behind the scenes because I know Kyle wouldn't just request to leave based on not starting two games. We've only heard the biased story of their manager who gave the interview an hour after getting spanked 4-0 in the cup, he's gonna have been pissed off anyway so of course he was gonna make Scholsey look bad. There has been too many big ego's and prima donna's at Notts in the last few years but Kyle is definitely not one of them. He's just trying to forge a career out at the club he loves and has supported all his life 

[tucsonan]

I saw him play for the youth team a few times and I liked what I saw. I gotta admit I don't like what I've heard about the fun and frolics at Telford. I kinda thought that after playing the rest of the season there he'd come back ready to challenge for a 1st team place down the Lane next season.

[Chris]

Well there is probably more to it, I think the majority will agree with you on that.

Also as I was told yesterday, their manager is deflecting his own shortcoming. I also Echo the ending your post, I know Kyle appreciates my sons support @super_pie among others and he's got quite a few behind him. A mutual friend gave him a wrist band created by their granddaughter and he shared it on his social accounts. I don't think anyone would say he's got a bad heart, because that's not true.

I suppose we will have to wait for his side to come out.

[FATALPIES]

@liampie dude shut up, are you a pro footballer?? No ! Your probs in a dead end job! So literally your opinion means nothing, #youpies!!

[Chris]

@liampie dude shut up, are you a pro footballer?? No ! Your probs in a dead end job! So literally your opinion means nothing, #youpies!!

@FATALPIES - Tone it down a little, you can make a point without starting a flame war or resorting to this.

[liampie]

@liampie dude shut up, are you a pro footballer?? No ! Your probs in a dead end job! So literally your opinion means nothing, #youpies!!

whats this got do with anything? are you a pro footballer? lol

[FATALPIES]

Sorry boys, I lost my head. Heat of the moment #passion