Oxford chairman Firoz Kassam was interviewed by Radio Oxford following this afternoon’s FA Cup defeat at Rochdale. Kassam expressed his disappointment and frustration with the way things have been going, and reiterated his statement that there was money available for new players, but it was up to the manager to use it.

Kassam remained tight-lipped on the question of whether or not Graham Rix was going to be dismissed, saying (quite rightly) that he couldn’t comment until he had spoken to Rix himself, tomorrow. He also didn’t give anything away concerning whether he had contemplated his options for a replacement for the manager should he go, saying that this wasn’t the right time to comment. He hinted that he might look at the idea of bringing in some outside help for Rix, possibly in a Director of Football capacity, but the last two times he tried this (with Joe Kinnear and Ray Harford) both attempts failed.

Rix himself also refused to be drawn on his future, although he claimed that he didn’t feel under any undue pressure. Meanwhile Lee Bradbury, also on Radio Oxford, let slip a comment that could be interpreted that not all of the players were confident in Rix’s leadership. Possibly we’re reading too much into it, but if that is the case then it would make the current manager’s position untenable. Whatever the future has in store for United, this promises to be an interesting week ahead.