Manager/Coach KREXIT: The 'Robbo Out' thread.

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Will be surprised if we ever see Joel Cooper again, have a strong feeling that his contract will be terminated by mutual consent.

At 25 and the issues he has had probably axbit late to adjust to professional footy I'd think .

 

[Marked Ox]

Yes we did. Mousinho was known to be at the very end of his playing career, and Clare had never played fb before. Long was the only backup defender, and one of only 4 defenders we could consider playing after Mousinho ended his season after one or two games.

It was a mess waiting to happen and, predictably, it did. Cue the relegation flirt.

Clare had played right back before, including for the side we signed him from. Whilst he was inexperienced at right back, he had played right back before.

 

[Manorlounger]

Clare had played right back before, including for the side we signed him from. Whilst he was inexperienced at right back, he had played right back before.

If he was signed as a right back then it could be argued that whoever scouted him should not be allowed to do so again. Whoever signed him, as a right back, needs to look closely at their thinking and not make that kind of mistake again.
If we could all see that he was played out of position, what does that say about those paid to select and recruit?

 

[Scotchegg]

We have to remember that Sam Long started the first game of the season as right back and Sean Clare only got his chance when Ruffels (and then Atkinson) were injured and Sam Long had to cover.

We then went on a run of around a dozen games where our defence looked fragile, Eastwood was struggling, Gorrin who had covered for Cadden so often was missing, and Henry was out of sorts. Clare looked poor, but so did pretty much everyone.

If we still had Clare, and played him last month when Long was out, I think we would have seen a very different player. To talk of scouting/recruitment not being fit for purpose is a little short sighted in my view. Some players just click at a new club and look great, others struggle for all sorts of reasons. For every Kemer Roofe, you get a Kane Hemmings, on a bigger scale, for every Eric Cantona there is a Juan Sebastian Veron!

For what it's worth, I'd definitely have Sean Clare back in the summer. He can play in a number of positions and should come back confident and ready to fight for his place in the team. If it clicks, we've still got a great prospect on our hands. If it doesn't then there should be plenty of clubs willing to give him another chance and cover our costs.

 

[m]

I'm not one for mindlessly defending Robinson but people do seem to be forgetting the squad cap.

22 players isn't enough to cover all eventualities.

 

[Berliner]

I'm not one for mindlessly defending Robinson but people do seem to be forgetting the squad cap.

22 players isn't enough to cover all eventualities.

A centre back instead of Rob Hall in the squad at the beginning of the season and our season would have panned out completely differently IMO

 

[Millman]

We have to remember that Sam Long started the first game of the season as right back and Sean Clare only got his chance when Ruffels (and then Atkinson) were injured and Sam Long had to cover.

We then went on a run of around a dozen games where our defence looked fragile, Eastwood was struggling, Gorrin who had covered for Cadden so often was missing, and Henry was out of sorts. Clare looked poor, but so did pretty much everyone.

If we still had Clare, and played him last month when Long was out, I think we would have seen a very different player. To talk of scouting/recruitment not being fit for purpose is a little short sighted in my view. Some players just click at a new club and look great, others struggle for all sorts of reasons. For every Kemer Roofe, you get a Kane Hemmings, on a bigger scale, for every Eric Cantona there is a Juan Sebastian Veron!

For what it's worth, I'd definitely have Sean Clare back in the summer. He can play in a number of positions and should come back confident and ready to fight for his place in the team. If it clicks, we've still got a great prospect on our hands. If it doesn't then there should be plenty of clubs willing to give him another chance and cover our costs.

I remain unconvinced that should Clare come back he will ever be cover for anywhere in defense to a level that does not lessen the team. I agree the lad looks good and would welcome him back. He has done very well for Burton (as a holding midfielder I think). He is versatile in so far as he can play anywhere across the midfield (and could be great cover for Gorrin). He just isn't a defender. To try and force him into this position would just be repeating a mistake.

This summer we need to either bring through or recruit some young prospects to play left and right back to cover for Ruffles and Long. Plus I would like to see us look for a Mous replacement, an older player to bring in when needed as cover in either centerback or holding midfield, and who could help develop what is still a very young defense. This will be key especially if we loose Moore and have to promote McNally from day one. Fail to strengthen defensive cover again then whos betting we will be having a conversation this time next year where we bemoan the key injuries in defense that have cost us points.

 

[Marked Ox]

A centre back instead of Rob Hall in the squad at the beginning of the season and our season would have panned out completely differently IMO

I agree Rob Hall, sadly, was a waste of a squad space.

 

[TailsWeWin]

I agree Rob Hall, sadly, was a waste of a squad space.

And this should have been apparent some time ago, after he’d failed to make any impact on loan at Forest Green Rovers in a league below. Very strange decision to renew his contract.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Clare had played right back before, including for the side we signed him from. Whilst he was inexperienced at right back, he had played right back before.

I think Clare played wing back at Hearts as they played three central defenders which is a completely different position

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I'm not one for mindlessly defending Robinson but people do seem to be forgetting the squad cap.

22 players isn't enough to cover all eventualities.

Karl Robinson thinks you can cover a squad perfectly with 23 players. That could be two players of any age for every single position on the pitch, which is what the squad cap allowed this season, plus as many 19/20 year olds as you like on top of that.

I’ll let the man himself explain his thinking on what makes a balanced squad, both in terms of how not to build one as well as how to. He says it all in 30 seconds:

 

[werthersoriginal]

A centre back instead of Rob Hall in the squad at the beginning of the season and our season would have panned out completely differently IMO

Amen, that Hall contract was mystifying! And it hasn’t really done the player many favours, if he’d gone to say Dagenham and had a good season playing regularly he’d be in a better position now

 

[Marked Ox]

I think Clare played wing back at Hearts as they played three central defenders which is a completely different position

Sean Clare - Detailed stats (Detailed view)

This is the extended perfomance data of Sean Clare from Wigan Athletic. The page contains data about their performance metrics (goals, cards, etc.).

www.transfermarkt.co.uk

He's played 16 times at right back before signing for us. 10 of which were at Hearts last season and 5 (+1 in the Pizza Trophy) were for Gillingham in L1 back in 17/18.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Sean Clare - Detailed stats (Detailed view)

This is the extended perfomance data of Sean Clare from Wigan Athletic. The page contains data about their performance metrics (goals, cards, etc.).

www.transfermarkt.co.uk

He's played 16 times at right back before signing for us. 10 of which were at Hearts last season and 5 (+1 in the Pizza Trophy) were for Gillingham in L1 back in 17/18.

Well my mistake as I thought they played a different system so I apologise
Having said that 10 games at right back is not a lot to go by especially in Scotland where apart from the top two the standard is not that good

 

[windmill]

And this should have been apparent some time ago, after he’d failed to make any impact on loan at Forest Green Rovers in a league below. Very strange decision to renew his contract.

Then again, Eastie gets 3 year extension. Baffling.

 

[Carpy]

Karl Robinson thinks you can cover a squad perfectly with 23 players. That could be two players of any age for every single position on the pitch, which is what the squad cap allowed this season, plus as many 19/20 year olds as you like on top of that.

I’ll let the man himself explain his thinking on what makes a balanced squad, both in terms of how not to build one as well as how to. He says it all in 30 seconds:

That's his twin brother Kevin you see, Karl on the other hand has a completely different outlook on player recruitment where you spunk all your cash on midfielders that can then be played anywhere on the pitch.

 

[Osleroad]

Well my mistake as I thought they played a different system so I apologise
Having said that 10 games at right back is not a lot to go by especially in Scotland where apart from the top two the standard is not that good

He clearly thought he could improve or told Oxford he was ready and willing to get the move and we thought he could be coached but it didn't work out.

 

[Millman]

See this link Clare joining Burton and a quote as to where the player would like to play: Where Clare wants to play or his comments about playing as a right back Clare on playing right back at Hearts
Not so sure if he came back and he went back in as a right back he would be too happy.

 

[m]

A centre back instead of Rob Hall in the squad at the beginning of the season and our season would have panned out completely differently IMO

I can't counter that specific argument!

 

[m]

Karl Robinson thinks you can cover a squad perfectly with 23 players. That could be two players of any age for every single position on the pitch, which is what the squad cap allowed this season, plus as many 19/20 year olds as you like on top of that.

I’ll let the man himself explain his thinking on what makes a balanced squad, both in terms of how not to build one as well as how to. He says it all in 30 seconds:

Well if that's his core belief and he's fucked the balance of the squad up as badly as he appears to have then I can't defend him.