Dons boss Robinson on latest loan signing – promising Watford attacker Mebude

AFC Wimbledon made their last acquisition of the window on Wednesday, signing Watford forward Dapo Mebude on a season-long loan from the Premier League side.

 

Mebude, who has represented Scotland at U19 level, joined Watford in the summer after leaving Rangers on a free transfer.

 

“He’s had a really good pre-season at Watford, ” head coach Mark Robinson told the South London Press.

 

“He can play off a forward. He can play wide – with really good pace. I just wanted someone with that natural pace, and he has got very good one-on-one skills. It gives us those options and formation flexibility.”

 

Although Mebude went to the hospital last week after being forced off in a pre-season game for Watford against Stevenage, Robinson said: “He got a whack from behind in his coccyx. He’s fine, but he’s probably three to four days away before he returns to full training. It’s nothing serious; he’s just a bit stiff.”

 

Ahead of Wimbledon’s opening game of the season on Saturday away at Doncaster Rovers, Robinson invited Ben Ryan to visit the players at the New Malden training ground.

 

Ryan, who was head coach of the Fiji Sevens rugby team and led the country to their very first Olympic Gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games, came and presented to the players before the League One campaign commences.

 

“He came in to talk about culture,” explained Robinson.

 

“It absolutely blew the players away. In fact, afterwards, a few of them said they would like to start pre-season all over again – it was impressive.

 

“I think it’s important because football is very insular, and everyone lives in a bubble. You need to open everyone’s eyes to what is going on out there and to the extremes that people go to in other sports to have success.”

 

See Friday’s South London Press for an in-depth interview with Robinson.