Manager/Coach Robinson. Stay or go?

[Ox4Eva]

I am against any kneejerk reaction but he needs to change the formation FFS!

The city plastics game means nothing but a defeat at Wimbledon will maybe change things....

 

[Thehorse777]

He has to go.

A few points.

1. He’s still young - but he has been a manager at this level for a number of years now so whilst he may be young in comparison to a number of managers, he isn’t young in terms of experience in the job, his age doesn’t wash with me as a reason for poor performance or his embarrassing interviews post game

2. He said there’s nothing more he can do - in this case he should be stepping down, let alone being sacked. If this is the best he can get out of this team then they should start preparing for league 2 now.

3. Over heard yesterday Robinson saying to someone on the bench that “there’s nothing wrong out there” - if he genuinely believed that to be true then he is deluded and should be told to clear his desk immediately. If he thinks yesterday was ok then he’s not going to do any of the things most people agree are needed to make things, or atleast try to make them, improve.

4. Do the players respect him given the way he goes on at pitch side and in interviews etc? - overheard yesterday some of the squad members laughing and joking about the way he was behaving in the changing rooms prior to the game.

5. His playing record - obviously it’s non existent, and his “career” is less illustrious than my own, now that’s fine when you are winning and players are being praised but as soon as things are going wrong and you are trying to give negative feedback, it’s all too easy for a player to say/think that they know better. “He’s never even played”

6. Is there anything in our games that suggests a turn in form is imminent and the losses will suddenly get turned into wins? Not that I’ve seen, there are glimpses of quality but these don’t win you games. We currently don’t really look like scoring and always look like conceding.

Everyone knows the hardest thing to do in football is score goals, so whilst we aren’t doing that it is imperative that we do not concede as easily as we do.

He has to stop the goals going in and stop us losing games, that is more important than how “attractive” the display is.

 

[Didox]

Equally, how many times have teams changed managers with zero effect? What if we got shot of KR, DF and SD at expense of being able to bring players in during January? And who would we bring in as the new manager? In the same way people argue that out of contract players are not good enough or they'd have been snapped up, who is currently available that would guarantee immediate results?

Come on you know his name. He likes tattoos and working out

 

[Scotchegg]

Michael Appleton would be the dream ticket here, and I don’t think it would be unrealistic in him coming back. With DF still here, and CA doing well with the Youth. If Tiger can offer him a lucrative deal, and a large January transfer Budget. Then I can see it happening.

You don’t miss what you’ve got, until it’s gone. We played some amazing football with him at the helm. Fast flowing counter attacking football, and with some great young players. There is some very good young players here that he can look at and work with, but he’s a builder rather than straight in and get results immediately type of manager.

I don’t give a s**t about who did better in terms of results, and there track records. That fact is football is an entertainment business. MR Appleton made me feel entertained, and everytime I turned up to the Kassam or at an away venue. I knew I was going to get value for money. The best football I’ve seen for a long time with his leadership.

Just hope Tiger gets rid of Gobbo Robbo, and Derry, and get the club moving upwards, because I don’t see this changing anytime soon.

Let's be honest, there was a bit of a mixed bag with Appleton (and this is coming from one of the few who argued for him to stay when others were calling for his head. His first 6 months were fairly ordinary, and if it wasn't for Hylton's goals we could have dropped out of the league. Once he got a settled team (with one of the highest budgets in the league) we played some great football. However, first season in league 1 and we were a bit hit and miss again and it was only a few wins at the end of the season that gave us a better than expected final position.

So yes, MApp was good. But he was given time and a budget to succeed. KR could do the same if given the same.

 

[Thehorse777]

Yes, Robinson could still succeed if given time, but he also may not.

All anyone can do at this stage is make a calculated decision on whether they see enough to suggest that things will get better, I haven’t.

I was also someone who argued for Appleton to be given more time so I’m not someone who’s first thought is to sack the manager, I’m a big believer in the players being accountable too, but I can’t see things improving enough to get enough points to be safe under the current management.

Of course we could make a change and not get any better but surely it makes sense to try and get things right and give yourselves a chance of staying up rather than meekly dropping out of the division with the current level of performance

 

[Witney Wag]

KRs league record to date makes dismal reading P18 W4 D4 L10. He has to improve very quickly or he will be out.

 

[guyellow]

I really dont get the comments which are saying there is no point changing the manager as they cannot bring in players until January so it will not make a difference. How many clubs have changed manager and have seen an upturn in fortunes without bringing in players? If it is the right manager of course it’s worth it. It isn’t a huge gamble to change either as it’s not as if we could be doing any worse.

Whilst I don't think it is time to sack KR yet, I do agree with your point. We should be getting much better results with the players we have. The gaffer needs to motivate and strategise to do this. Teams that do well perform better than the sum of the individuals, we are performing well below the individuals abilities. Good management changes this.

 

[Didox]

Whilst I don't think it is time to sack KR yet, I do agree with your point. We should be getting much better results with the players we have. The gaffer needs to motivate and strategise to do this. Teams that do well perform better than the sum of the individuals, we are performing well below the individuals abilities. Good management changes this.

Out of the 5 Home league games we have played we have lost 4 and for 3 of those we have been 1 or 2 goals behind for long periods without looking like getting back into it. That’s is what is so demoralising.

 

[Northstandboy]

Pep Clotet's OUFC win record (over 33 games) was 33.3% vs KR's (22 games) is 31.8%.

KR has managed slightly less games in total but allegedly "knows the league" and had time to assess the players before having a full pre-season to assemble a capable squad. The Catalan didn't have this luxury.

Not sure I would pull the trigger just yet but my chamber is loaded...

What was Peps record for his first 22 game?

 

[yellowbow]

I don’t like to see any manager getting sacked and it can’t be denied that KR is working extremely hard and does seem to have genuine affection for the club (if not the stadium) but we really are getting to a time when I feel we’re in real danger of relegation trouble. Sliding back down to league 2 would be gut wrenching and something I don’t even want to think about. Add to that the fact that Robinson seems to genuinely believe there’s nothing wrong that a touch of ‘change of luck’ won’t solve and I’m really beginning to lean towards a change of leader. Someone with fresh ideas who can give the existing players a boost with a different approach and different tactics. I want to be wrong but sometimes things just don’t work out for a manager at a club.

As I’ve said before though, I believe Robinson has the safest job in football in a roll of ‘football adivisor to the chairman’ as much as anything else.

 

[Northstandboy]

Why no poll?!

Poll made.

 

[daveoufc]

I disagree with the we have a good group of players and he should get more out of them thing. We have too many who are not up to it just not good enough and some who have potential but are not up to it yet.

Now he has assembled this shower granted but as unification said on the match thread Mapp was allowed to pay off the previous dead wood and his own poor signings.

Robbo seems to of been backed although I do wonder how late in the day the funds were made avaliable to him. I cant see much changing with this lot until jan the poor bloke is tearing his hair out 2 up top may help but will probably leave us more exposed somewhere else.

 

[tatabanya]

Stay - and he will be staying for the foreseeable anyway unless he walks, so best get behind him.

Reckon we win at AFCW.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

What I can't work out is
1 Some of the players he has brought in are really good
Carruthers,Holmes,Browne and White
2 Some players are ok and could get better
Norman and Hansen
These players are good enough for a top half finish

Nothing he could do about Rothwell and Ledsom leaving

However
3 Why didn't he keep Ricardhinio
4 Why did he not bring in any strikers who know this league,obviously he had no faith in Obika.Smith is learning his trade and Mackie is past it

Injuries to Eastwood Hall and Carruthers have been a blow and who could foresee the drop in form of Nelson and Dickie

There are signs in some games Sunderland,Burton and Wycombe that we might get on track

All in all I would give him until after the Luton game,if we lose to Wimbledon and Luton I feel it's time for him to move on.

If we can win one and draw one I think he could go on for another 5 games and readdress the situation at that point.

 

[Paul Cannell]

He's playing a system that doesn't work with players that don't fit it and don't seem to have been trained to fit it or can't be arsed (or aren't fit enough) to compete. No forward movement, the midfield totally disconnected from the defence; it's a mess.

If he doesn't change the system we will be relegated. I don't believe he can (or is it will) change the system. I think he's lost the players' support.

He needs to go now.

 

[greatunclekip]

Its such a tough one as he cares so much and he did a decent job last season.

But in all honesty, he is in the same level of tactical naivety as Rix, has put together a lot of good players but with no team ethic.

Look at Walsall for example, no stars, lost their best player (Oztumer) but each player knows their role, and they have a competent outlet in Ferrier (30k well spent).

I do also feel though that he was going for the right targets in the summer, both Taylor and Cummings (and Godden) who we were in for have that cutting edge and i think wed be a few points better off. For whatever reason they werent landed (definitely NOT financial though, absolutely not) and we ended up scrabbling around for waifs and strays.

Its a f*****g useless team hes put together, and we are 1 billion percent heading down with the status quo.

So its a sad GO from me.

 

[Teddydee1980]

As with a point made earlier in the thread, who would Tiger likely bring in to replace? Keep in mind, his preferred candidate was Kluivert and the other names linked with the job all seemed to have risks associated. KR was, if anything, the safer choice, a manager who knew the League, had success at this level. It has been a s**t show so far. Do I blame KR entirely? No, but he's the easy target and a fool to himself. As I said in the match day thread, there are a lot of factors playing out, either way I think another loss at Wimbledon and his position becomes largely untenable.

What concerns me is... Who else is out there?

 

[gofish2]

KR does head up a 3 man management team, so would we look to get rid of all 3? If so, how much would that cost us and would that have a big impact on what we could spend in January?

As Hawky says, Eastwood and Carrathurs would be a big loss to most teams in this league. We have been beaten by Barnsley, Portsmouth, Fleetwood and Wallsall - all in the top few of the League. Yes, Accrington and Coventry were poor results, but a little luck could have seen us get something from both games and things would be much brighter.

We need to knuckle down and get through this poor period both on the pitch and on the terraces. Going into panic mode helps no one.

I would truly like your optimism, and I take your points. I am not confident though.
For those who say 'but who else is out there' who knows. But unless this 'manager' starts managing, and that includes doing his research and becoming more tactically creative we are ficked!
I think these players are fundamentally good, some very good. I also believe he's bought some good players in and has been unlucky with injuries. I don't however, believe he's played a formation that suits what he's got and is too limited in his view to change.

 

[TailsWeWin]

Rotten luck with injuries, a first pre season/proper transfer window with a new owner who is only in the country every so often leads me to give KR the benefit of the doubt. he is still young and talks a bit too much when he should keep schtum - but hopefully he will learn, let's give him time. Press the panic button of were still bottom 3 in November (which i don't think we will be) not now

It’s the Hope that Kills You

 

[yellowbow]

As with a point made earlier in the thread, who would Tiger likely bring in to replace? Keep in mind, his preferred candidate was Kluivert and the other names linked with the job all seemed to have risks associated. KR was, if anything, the safer choice, a manager who knew the League, had success at this level. It has been a s**t show so far. Do I blame KR entirely? No, but he's the easy target and a fool to himself. As I said in the match day thread, there are a lot of factors playing out, either way I think another loss at Wimbledon and his position becomes largely untenable.

What concerns me is... Who else is out there?

Was Kluivert really his preferred choice though? Or was that just media speculation. I thought I read somewhere that Tiger said Robinson was always his preferred candidate.