Ex-Staff Karl Robinson

[Sharp Edges]

Karl doesnt leave with my blessing or best wishes, maybe thats just me being bitter, maybe not. The first interview I heard him give was full of bullshit and bluster, he looked and sounded scarily arrogant, the way its ended doesnt surprise me, the fact it took so long certainly does.

There is no doubt that there were some good times but two incredibly fortunate play off appearances and no wins in 5 matches sums it up, we were flat track bullies that couldnt beat the better teams.

Is there anything better at the club now than when he joined? League position no, squad no, team no, talent no, ability no, saleable assets....... Crocs on long contracts yes! I havent even mentioned the off field stuff.

I guess the next couple of months will show just what sort of a mess he has left us in.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

As some have alluded to elsewhere on this forum the BBC ‘Moment of Truth’ podcast which commenced recording last March was interesting to say the least.
All the clues were there for all. I listened intently and indeed was gripped by it. The series stripped Robinson bare and brutally exposed his frailties. I’ve no doubt that he had difficult personal issues and he looked to be beaten and broken last April. The melt down he had on the touch line at Morecambe in particular and the aftermath was a tough listen as was the Sunderland home defeat. The HT dressing down of the players during the MK match was completely unacceptable although we did win it late on.

He never recovered , things unravelled further and he should have been relieved of his duties last Autumn after the predictable Wycombe home loss following a calamitous
summer in respect of recruitment and poor results.

I said at the time that I would have preferred our manager to be focussing on the job and not strutting around with BBC microphones. Rotherham fell away quite badly compared to where they were at the start but just about stumbled over the line, while we capitulated and lost out entirely. Don’t think it’s any coincidence that we were the two clubs at the heart of a documentary that perfectly coincided with both clubs suffering.

 

[Yellow Submarine]

Appleton is the only manager in my time (30 years) that I was gutted to see go. However, apart from one year at Lincoln his only really good spell was with us, and I wonder if the set up under Mark Ashton gave him the platform to perform so well. Would he be able to replicate that success without everything behind the scenes that Ashton put in place...

Whoever comes in should have a philosophy of entertaining, attacking football. We've been treated to some absolutely delightful football under Appleton and Robinson (last 12 months excluded) and I don't want to go back to some of the god awful football we've had in the past or witnessed at other L1 clubs in recent times

 

[bazzer9461]

No!
That's what Jim Smith did when he returned. And it was a ×#£×@× disaster!

Maybe but also they may have been the best of the lot at that time.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

No!
That's what Jim Smith did when he returned. And it was a ×#£×@× disaster!

Completely agree - Jim returned as the saviour MK2 in March 2006 - and it it was indeed disastrous.We can’t repeat the process with Appleton or Wilder
this time in my view. We have to learn from the past.

 

[Swaby39]

To those who actually know (ehem), do we know how the squad feel towards Leon and Short on a personal level? Does Karl live on through them or are they more likeable characters who could galvanise the players without him around?

 

[Jster]

Do people know if KR used to be well liked - did it change at some point? I remember a couple of years ago it being talked up what a good atmosphere there was at the club - was that genuine at the time, or a smokescreen?

 

[YellowSubmarine]

To those who actually know (ehem), do we know how the squad feel towards Leon and Short on a personal level? Does Karl live on through them or are they more likeable characters who could galvanise the players without him around?

Both of them very much feel out of place.

Reality is both of them are academy coaches really.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Do people know if KR used to be well liked - did it change at some point? I remember a couple of years ago it being talked up what a good atmosphere there was at the club - was that genuine at the time, or a smokescreen?

He’s always had issues with people.

But over the last 12-18 months it’s become far more frequent & with people more popular than him across the club.

His personal life mess certainly ties in with the personality shift.

 

[Swaby39]

Both of them very much feel out of place.

Reality is both of them are academy coaches really.

I for one don’t really know much about them but look shy on the touchline. But I did wonder how much that had to do with Karl. Clearly the combination of them isn’t good enough anyway.

But might be a good lead in to Des Buckingham. I wonder how aware the board are of him? Don’t strike me as having a knowledge net that casts that far.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I guess the next couple of months will show just what sort of a mess he has left us in.

There are already one or two little comments floating around from people who are suggesting that anything bar a drastic and immediate turnaround will prove that it’s not his fault. Presumably it’s just the players, and he’s got nothing to do with any of them after ten windows and half a decade in charge.

He’s just a populist - some people who defended him for as long as they did and as fiercely as they did will never be able to back down. They’re in too deep.

Leave them to it and the rest of us can move on with supporting the football club.

 

[Joey]

Yep. On the assumption that @Manorlounger was accurate in his account - and I've no reason to doubt him - KR seemed to be mocking OUFC supporters and perhaps Williams lacks the gravitas required for a man in his position.

As @bazzer9461 says this is correct. Also someone said the first half at Cambridge was the worst they'd seen in six or seven years and KR replied with "what about Burton away?" and had a laugh about it. Not the attitude of someone who cares passionately about our club as he liked to portray.

 

[Carpy]

He’s just a populist

 

[Manorlounger]

Well, to emphasise how good the Loungers now feel about things, we have just booked hotel, purchased match tickets and reserved a parking space for the Lincoln game! Yesterday we would have laughed at the suggestion of making a 280 mile round trip to watch another game.
Come on you Yellows!!

 

[Carpy]

Well, to emphasise how good the Loungers now feel about things, we have just booked hotel

 

[Eaststanding]

Completely agree - Jim returned as the saviour MK2 in March 2006 - and it it was indeed disastrous.We can’t repeat the process with Appleton or Wilder
this time in my view. We have to learn from the past.

Totally agree. Look forward, not backwards.
There‘s a lot of names out there but we MUST be patient and trust the board in their selection process.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

I can imagine that if we win

 

[Mad Dog]

I can imagine that if we win

Yes, I just feel sorry for the people in the room next door, when the Loungers return to their room, and start jumping up and down on the bed to celebrate a win

 

[bazzer9461]

I can imagine that if we win

But I would be banging on the wall shouting “
Pack that in I’m trying to sleep “ and @Manorlounger would reply “ shame you ain’t got there stamina baz “

 

[38yearsofpain]

There are already one or two little comments floating around from people who are suggesting that anything bar a drastic and immediate turnaround will prove that it’s not his fault. Presumably it’s just the players, and he’s got nothing to do with any of them after ten windows and half a decade in charge.

He’s just a populist - some people who defended him for as long as they did and as fiercely as they did will never be able to back down. They’re in too deep.

Leave them to it and the rest of us can move on with supporting the football club.

It's irrelevant he has gone and is not returning in the foreseeable future. The next appointment will define the new regime.
I think the vast majority will unite behind almost anybody. The devisive manager has gone, the club, the fans, ownership and indeed KR himself can move on.
Just hope the absurd delay doesn't prove a major major error.