Is he? Because after more than four years of not doing so, Robinson went on camera today and admitted that mistakes have been made and he’s taken his eye off the ball at times, acknowledged that bad luck isn’t an excuse for everything, and then said that he apologises for his part in things and will learn from it. Which he just so happens to have decided to do a week after a new CEO - ie his new boss - takes charge. As someone who used to work in both the football press and the media department at this very football club, I don’t buy that he’s suddenly feeling very honest when this season he’s done nothing but double down time and again on how it’s all the fault of injuries, bad luck and the players, while asserting that we’re routinely dominating teams and having a million shots a game.
I think it’s infinitely more likely that Tim Williams has informed Robinson that he needs to stop riling people up by so flatly refusing to hold his hands up to anything 24/7, said that he will back him and try to take some pressure off in the short term, but has ultimately said to him, “We do need to turn this around ASAP.” Hence why TW also stressed that results and an improvement on the pitch remain a top priority.
I wouldn’t take too much at face value presently. He’s brand new to the job - he can’t come in and wallop any individual member of his staff in public right off the bat. He admitted he had only attended a game for the first time against MK the other week, so it’s probably going to take at least another couple of games for him to form a proper opinion. But for me, he’s already showing pretty clear signs of taking charge given the humility that Robinson has magically found down the back of the sofa.
Looking forward to having the segment back every week. Hopefully the club sticks with it and it doesn’t fizzle out and fade away again. I think it’s really important that there is some sort of basic line of communication on a regular basis.