Robinson - Worth a new contract?

[Deleted member 222]

He had plenty of say over the vast majority of our summer signings. Source: Karl Robinson directly to my face in his own office in September.

I will give him enormous credit for swallowing his pride in recent times and playing the right team in the right way to get results, rather than persevering with his idealist methods that saw us spend virtually the entire season up to our chin in crap, but there’s no credit to be found in rewriting history to suit him like this. I don’t like that level of insincerity, and that’s one of my biggest problems with the guy overall. I wish he’d just be more honest, because nothing in life deserves respect more than that.

Anyway, forget KR, isn’t DF out of contract this summer? If so I wonder what will happen there. Will he retire, and if so, will we replace him?

You had a face to face meeting with KR? Why haven't you ever mentioned this?!

 

[Deleted member 222]

just out of interest, why do you think Henry will be gone? is he not contracted til 2020?

Coming very close to being off loaded in the last 2 transfer windows would suggest that he will be 1 of the out goings this summer.

 

[Oufcrealist]

Is Nelson sold?

How can he be sold? He's out of contract soon!!

 

[AbbeyOx]

Coming very close to being off loaded in the last 2 transfer windows would suggest that he will be 1 of the out goings this summer.

was he? fair enough but surprised by that. thought he's been a big player for us so far

 

[radicalox]

Yes, no brainer for me.
Kr has had us on playoff form since our awful first 12 game start.

On a personal level, and I am probably in a minority, but i have always liked kr. Appears to genuinely care.

 

[Gary Baldi]

You had a face to face meeting with KR? Why haven't you ever mentioned this?!

 

[gofish2]

I'm not convinced that he should be offered a new contract yet, An extension yes, but I would like to see a consolidation of positive results and convincing transfer activity first. Yes he does deserve credit for what he's accomplished recently, but one swallow and all that....

 

[Scotchegg]

You had a face to face meeting with KR? Why haven't you ever mentioned this?!

Oh Christ, we'll be having the mystical whiteboard story next!!

 

[LeftSideBoy]

I don't believe that any of them support Oxford United. I would put money on them being from down the A420.

The mindless negativity and ignorance is embarrassing. Constantly hammering KR yet ignoring the fact that since January, we've been close to play-off/promotion form. Moan, moan, moan! The journalism (or lack of) combined with the comments on there is enough to get me spitting feathers more often than I'd like haha.

 

[windmill]

Better the devil you know, I would say.

 

[AbbeyOx]

The mindless negativity and ignorance is embarrassing. Constantly hammering KR yet ignoring the fact that since January, we've been close to play-off/promotion form. Moan, moan, moan! The journalism (or lack of) combined with the comments on there is enough to get me spitting feathers more often than I'd like haha.

a couple of them seem very angry people. regardless of if we’ve won or lost it always comes back to KR and ST. used to find it an amusing read but just getting boring now with the same negative comments

 

[Leysboy]

Given all bar one of our remaining games is against sides who still have something to play for i think it would be direspectful to others who could be affected by us playing a perceived weaken side.

I like to see us experiment with youngsters and blood them in. Who cares who goes down, we WONT! They wouldn’t give a sh*t about us going down. They would do the exact same thing! I agree with some of what you say. Let’s play our strongest starting 11 against Luton, and help Stewart Donald win the title instead. It’s the least we could do, after all he’s done for us.

 

[Berliner]

Let's see how we start and how the window goes. No need to offer him something now, and little risk of him being sacked or looking elsewhere. I have wanted him out for the vast majority of this season, but have to admit that he's grinding out the results well at the moment.

We are still nowhere near where we should be, mind...even with a reduced budget for next year.

 

[yellowbow]

was he? fair enough but surprised by that. thought he's been a big player for us so far

I also feel that Henry, on his day, is a player of genuine league 1 quality, and with him already in the building, keeping him gives us an element of stability. I know it’s all about opinions and everyone’s differ but I personally would be disappointed to see him leave. I also don’t think we’d receive anything like what he’s worth to us.

 

[yellowbow]

The first real hint that next season things might indeed be tough..?

Harris told the club's website: "It is no secret that there have been some internal financial challenges this season across the club and every department, academy included, is going to have to adapt to this new landscape for next season.

 

[radicalox]

I also feel that Henry, on his day, is a player of genuine league 1 quality, and with him already in the building, keeping him gives us an element of stability. I know it’s all about opinions and everyone’s differ but I personally would be disappointed to see him leave. I also don’t think we’d receive anything like what he’s worth to us.

I guess it comes down to budget. Henry is apparently our highest paid player at 5k a week. Could that money be spent better elsewhere? I think it certainly could if done right. Particularly on a player who would have resale value, which Henry who is nearly 30, doesn't really have a lot of.

 

[LondonRoader]

How can he be sold? He's out of contract soon!!

I know, I was asking the person who said he would be gone (sold).

 

[LondonRoader]

His comments about asking for more responsibility in making signings sounds like he didn't have as much say on the players they got in the summer than he wanted. He suggests he had more responsibility in the incoming transfers in the new year which, if that is the case then I think he can be trusted to bring in the right players in.

Mmm, not sure I would give KR any more financial responsibility, it might help the club going forward if he had less financial input and watched the pennies more, but I suppose if you are sold a dream you might try and act it out...

 

[jayhi1810]

Oxford suits Robinson, he's local and knows this level. I can't imagine that he'd be looking to rush to another club, and I can't imagine he'd be massively in demand. So I don't think there is any rush to sign him up and it is worth focusing on the team until September/October.

But there can be few who wouldn't recognise the progress Robinson has made. If we put the blame at his door for signing Sam Smith and Ricky Holmes then we also need to give credit for him signing Whyte, Kashi, Sinclair, Sykes, Graham, Mackie etc. He has developed players like Baptiste and Long, introduced youth when appropriate and given more ownership to senior players. Eastwood, Mackie, Nelson, Brannaghan, Mous and Henry have all taken on leadership roles this season.

He has adapted his play to get the best from the players available, and has delivered play off form over the last 30 games and promotion form over the last 8. We've seen battling performances, freeflowing football and some rubbish, but generally we look to play football the right way.

He cares about the club and is involved in everything from top to bottom. Arguably he has become much stronger since all the off field issues have happened and has had to put up with more than most managers would ever dream of behind the scenes. He might not always come across polished in the press, but who honestly cares? If we were at the top of the table then no one would give a toss what he said after the game.

So, other contracts are more important, but we could do a hell of a lot worse than to give him an extension when the time is right.

Another thing to add to KRs plus column is it’s pretty clear the players have solidly behind him all season.

 

[Northernyellow]

I have blown really hot and cold on KR all season, but to be fair to the bloke, if you discount the dreadful start, he has done pretty well once he got the team organised.
I don't much like the way he comes across, but again, he does appear to have learnt that shouting and waving his arms around the whole time on the touchline doesn't achieve much. The players seem right behind him- you wouldn't have loanees running across the pitch to celebrate if the dressing room mood was poor.
There is no need to extend his contract- his stock isn't that high at the moment, and he will know that.
His pre-season signings were very hit and miss, but we don't know how much of that was down to Tiger's ahem 'budget management'.
When Tiger flew into Ireland for transfer discussions, and KR was then seen on the mobile (presumably to agents?) while we were actually playing a friendly was an indication of what a mess Tiger was/is making of running the club.
My faith it Tiger is zero, and it's obvious that KR has had to deal with all sorts of nonsense back of house.
So- given that- I would certainly keep KR, but let's see how close season goes. We need to sign fewer loanees and more players who actually want to play for us, as they see it as a step-up. The two NI players are exactly the profile of players we should be signing.
All of this, of course, assumes we have a club next season. But that is another thread......