Karl Robinson - Is he right or wrong?

[Mellowyellow]

https://www.Oxfordm**l.co.uk/sport/...ord-united-will-go-backwards---karl-robinson/

I would love KR to stay and finish a job that he has started, but this article seems to show he is holding the board to ransom. On the one hand he has been massive in the progress the club has made, but to date he has won nothing on the pitch.

The whole of that article should be in the first person, me, we, us, but far too much sounded as it was written by someone who is saying show us your cards or I am off. His stock is building and if we had gone up, I really think his name would have appeared in the reckoning for both the Bristol and Birmingham jobs. Gary Bowyer got Charlton promoted from league one, with a Charlton side who have hardly set the championship alight, yet that the difference between him and KR, he has made that step of promotion. In the lists of potential managers listed for both jobs there are quite a few good shouts for the jobs, that would be ahead of KR if any Championship jobs came up, even our old friend MAPP.

Its the following lines from the article, that are the final shots over the bow as far as KR is concerned, and need to be addressed by a board, who were at odds with him during the January transfer window:
“For me and where I go they are decisions I still can’t make now, but you have to plan for the future, always.....
"I owed Oxford for two reasons - giving me the opportunity to come home to my family every night and for sticking with me in the bad times last season."
"I want to be in the Championship, but equally I want to be at home as much as I can." "That's as basic as the answer gets."

They need to show not only KR, but the fans in clear English, what they are prepare to do for next season. Forget the cloak and dagger nonsense, about season tickets back on sale, and the fans being brilliant. Tell the fans what exactly are you prepared to do for next season. There has been too much waffle and not enough clarity. If the board genuinely want this club to progress then we need KR to be backed properly, because if he goes, we will get more flannel as a combination of Mous, Faz and Allen run the show. Faz and Allen were a disaster last time. Mous is learning his trade and there is no-one more than me that wants to see him be successful in coaching, but experience will be needed to manage a potentially dangerous situation where, as we saw with Shrewsbury, things can go dramatically down hill.

 

[Scotchegg]

Two factors that need to be taken into account.

1) Karl Robinson talks with emotion and off the cuff, and you have to do a huge amount of filtering of what is said, or give him the space and time to reflect and come back with a more reasonable response. (This isn't a criticism, I like his passion and his openness, but don't take everything as gospel).

2) The Oxford Mail takes 2 or 3 quotes and strings together 10 articles. Consequently, things are taken out of context or give so little information that others try to fill in the gaps.

KR has ambtion and will know that there will be interest in him, but will also have seen hundreds of managers who jump ship only to be out of a job 6 months down the line. We will have to see how the board responds during this closed season but I think we will be in a better position than many clubs and that KR will see this as an opportunity to really put his name to the history of our club by taking us up (and keeping us there!).

 

[Left Wing Cross]

Every transfer window, KR says something like this.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

At some point I would like the “will he won’t he” stuff to stop being used and in turn played out in public. There are only so many times you can keep playing that card before it becomes your problem, not that of your paymasters, and the divisive tone and methodology leaves behind a real mess if it comes crashing down or blows up.

Eventually it’s up to you to fit in with where your company has chosen to go, and if you don’t like it and have ambitions beyond those goals then you leave in order to fulfil your aspirations. That’s your right, but it isn’t your right to have other people jump every time you want them to. It’s really that simple.

It’s getting to be like watching someone strut around a club flirting with other people because they’re trying to provoke a reaction from their current partner. It’s damaging behaviour.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I agree. Keeping quiet in public and having these discussions in private would be so much more dignified - and given that he does it every transfer window, it's a bit 'There's a wolf, there's a wolf'!

 

[Fred]

KR should say less about TIGERS control on the finances, he is trying to give the impression that if we hadn't sold 2 players in the last transfer window we would have got promoted. Nobody knows if that is what would have happened. I don't know how much money we got for the 2 players but it could have meant we lost say 1million instead of 3million in the appropriate financial period.

 

[Scotchegg]

KR should say less about TIGERS control on the finances, he is trying to give the impression that if we hadn't sold 2 players in the last transfer window we would have got promoted. Nobody knows if that is what would have happened. I don't know how much money we got for the 2 players but it could have meant we lost say 1million instead of 3million in the appropriate financial period.

The comments are not so much about selling players, but the timing of these sales. He has suggested that if we are going to sell that we should do it early so that we can get the necessary replacements in ahead of the season starting, and that we should also avoid seeing mid season.

I don't see this as a challenge the way some do, but just Karl being Karl and looking to push things along a little. I'm sure Tiger and co. would expect nothing less!

 

[Village-Yellow]

Seems to me to be a simple statement saying he needs the board to give him sufficient resources to make OUFC competitive for another promotion shot or he sees not point in sticking around treading water or going backwards.

I can understand that.

So....

Do the board have the resources???

If so, do they want to invest them in OUFC??

And, do they trust Karl if they do??

 

[Manorlounger]

Something else to remember, Fosu had a release clause in his contract. Brentford met that clause. Not much anyone could have done about that.

 

[Ox4Eva]

The attitude of some towards KR baffles me, he has my support 100%

Up the U's!

 

[Fred]

Seems to me to be a simple statement saying he needs the board to give him sufficient resources to make OUFC competitive for another promotion shot or he sees not point in sticking around treading water or going backwards.

I can understand that.

So....

Do the board have the resources???

If so, do they want to invest them in OUFC??

And, do they trust Karl if they do??

Assuming there is no wage cap how much would you like Tiger to spend on transfers and wages above what they spent this season?

 

[holdsteady]

The attitude of some towards KR baffles me, he has my support 100%

Up the U's!

While he is our manager he has my support 100%, soon as he is isn’t then I don’t really care. Support the club not the manager, players or kitman, they all come and go.

 

[daveoufc]

Something else to remember, Fosu had a release clause in his contract. Brentford met that clause. Not much anyone could have done about that.

Release clause was null void in the final 48hrs of the window so we didnt actually have to sell him then was terrible timing

 

[holdsteady]

Release clause was null void in the final 48hrs of the window so we didnt actually have to sell him then was terrible timing

His head was gone and he wanted to go though? The money we got for him and Baptiste has been a life saver during this, I will take that over a disinterested Fosu (did he even turn up for the last month here?).

 

[Manorlounger]

Release clause was null void in the final 48hrs of the window so we didnt actually have to sell him then was terrible timing

Haven't heard that before. Where is that from?

 

[Bath Yellow]

We have to be realistic here. 1 ) we are still getting over not winning the playoffs which is going to make a huge difference as to what the board will do and how that will leave us financially, especially in the current climate with no fans at the moment for further income.
2 ) So where does this leave KR .? Frustrated like us all we fell at the last fence with the winning post in sight. Yes, he is still young and very ambitious. he still has time on his side. Excellent Academy of youth coming through to work on for starters.
signings may be a little more difficult now that we are still in Lge1, so like us all, i want him to stay, he has done a great job taking over the mess left by Pep ( Look at Birmingham under him.). needs everybody to back him, especially the board.

 

[brassmonkey]

Totally agree with Karl. Selling/losing Cadden, Baptiste and Fosu and not replacing them in January was scandalous.

 

[Scotchegg]

Totally agree with Karl. Selling/losing Cadden, Baptiste and Fosu and not replacing them in January was scandalous.

Ruined our season!!

 

[brassmonkey]

Ruined our season!!

Pretty much yes.

 

[Scotchegg]

Pretty much yes.

Pretty much, don't be ridiculous!

 

[Bath Yellow]

Am i right in thinking that Fosu and Baptiste went in the last week. I believe it was more or less certain they would be off along with Cadden, still not giving KR time to bring in replacements though

 

[brassmonkey]

Really. We had the best team in the league pre xmas and i have every belief we would have won the league had we kept the team together. The only missing piece was a back up to Taylor. I understand we need to sell but not replacing cadden and the timing of Baptiste/fosu was awful.

 

[Scotchegg]

Really. We had the best team in the league pre xmas and i have every belief we would have won the league had we kept the team together. The only missing piece was a back up to Taylor. I understand we need to sell but not replacing cadden and the timing of Baptiste/fosu was awful.

Our points per game ratio for games with Cadden or games with Long/Forde was virtually identical.
Fosu had been off the boil for a month or 2 when he left. Still a good player, but more than adequetely replaced with Browne. Fosu scored a goal every 243 minutes, Browne every 204 minutes. Fosu assisted 3, Browne 4 in less than half the playing time.
Baptiste is obviously an exceptional player who scored some great goals earlier this season. But we had cover in the middle of the pitch and wasn't missed as much as we may have feared. When he left we had 41 points from 26 games - 1.57ppg. In the 9 games after he left we picked up 19 points at 2.11ppg.

So the timing may have been awful, but I'm really struggling to see how our January transfer business "ruined" our season.

 

[daveoufc]

Haven't heard that before. Where is that from?

Jerome called Zaki out on it during a very awkward interview

 

[Village-Yellow]

Assuming there is no wage cap how much would you like Tiger to spend on transfers and wages above what they spent this season?

I don't think I said give him more to spend did I? I am not sure if there is anymore.

If he was offered the same budget, maybe that would be enough for him to stay and maybe enough to keep us competitive.

But the climate is difficult isn’t it..... maybe the board will not want to invest the same as this year.

 

[brassmonkey]

Our points per game ratio for games with Cadden or games with Long/Forde was virtually identical.
Fosu had been off the boil for a month or 2 when he left. Still a good player, but more than adequetely replaced with Browne. Fosu scored a goal every 243 minutes, Browne every 204 minutes. Fosu assisted 3, Browne 4 in less than half the playing time.
Baptiste is obviously an exceptional player who scored some great goals earlier this season. But we had cover in the middle of the pitch and wasn't missed as much as we may have feared. When he left we had 41 points from 26 games - 1.57ppg. In the 9 games after he left we picked up 19 points at 2.11ppg.

So the timing may have been awful, but I'm really struggling to see how our January transfer business "ruined" our season.

Believe what you want. Karl obviously thinks the same as I do judging by his comments.

 

[Scotchegg]

Believe what you want. Karl obviously thinks the same as I do judging by his comments.

Every manager in the game wants more money to spend on more players on longer contracts, and not to lose anyone. Robinson is no different and make the case for building on what we have and to look to do our business early (including seeling if needed). That is perfectly rational.

Claiming that these sales ruined a season where we had our highest finish in 21 years and was, possibly, Henry smashing the ball in from 10 yards away from the championship, is insane.

 

[brassmonkey]

Your positivity is insane. We had a team to get promoted. We didnt get promoted we blew it. Karl and the players did an amazing job to get to the play off final despite losing 3 key players at a ridiculous time. Is that difficult to get your insane head around....

 

[tonyw]

I just don't see how you can blame the Board for Cadden leaving. It would be barking mad for a League One club that's in as much debt as we are to fork out a million quid for a right back. And Karl even said so himself at the time.

Want to blame anyone for our RB leaving in early January - blame Karl for signing someone to play that position on a half season loan.

Fosu/Baptiste - that's a different story, and the timing was horrific.
That being said, would we have finished Top Two or beaten Wycombe if we'd had them both? Hard to say. Rotherham turned us over comfortably in January with them both in the side - and that was the key (pre-Wembley) defeat of the season, as it turned out.

 

[OX14]

Pretty much yes.

Your not far off from being right to be honest. Before the January transfer window shut we were flying and everyone was tipping us to go up as champions. Then we sold fosu, baptise and lost Cadden and we hit a slump. It was only the last 5 games we won in a row that bought are ppg up considerably. Obviously Covid put a stop to the season and we may have continued the form and took second place, but we could of also ended up mid table. We wern't playing that great before lockdown it took a last minute ruffles header to even get us in to the play offs.