We would have been better off with Robins (16 Viewers)

[Sick Boy]

King seemed to have a fairly united front with him, wasn't he appointed in January 2023?

At that point i'm not sure he had much choice! From what I remember, it was the end of 2022.

 

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[SeaSeeEffCee]

As he was a SISU/Robins appointment, I wouldn't be surprised to see Austin let go in the summer.

He seems to have bent the knee to King Doug which will probably help keep him around.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

The way we were playing under Robins, we weren’t going to do much better for the 4 game stretch we had without him including Cardiff.

Robins has failed to beat WBA so not sure what would’ve been different.

 

[TomRad85]

The answer is no. Close thread.

 

[shmmeee]

As he was a SISU/Robins appointment, I wouldn't be surprised to see Austin let go in the summer.

He came in when the takeover was agreed but not finalised. What makes him a Sisu appointment?

 

[shmmeee]

The answer is no. Close thread.

Must keep telling yourself that TBF.

 

[TomRad85]

Must keep telling yourself that TBF.

Don't need to, it was obvious to anyone with eyes. He was done.

 

[Sick Boy]

He came in when the takeover was agreed but not finalised. What makes him a Sisu appointment?

He joined in December 2022. The takeover was agreed in January 2023.

 

[TomRad85]

All our defenders are shit they cry, but we'd have also been better with Robins who signed them all they also cry.

 

[WestEndAgro]

Don't understand the "fall out" we always get done at the Albion regardless of who's in charge and who's on the pitch.
Who genuinely thought we would get a result yesterday?

 

[SeaSeeEffCee]

Don't understand the "fall out" we always get done at the Albion regardless of who's in charge and who's on the pitch.
Who genuinely thought we would get a result yesterday?

There is about 7 or 8 away grounds in this league we ‘always get done at’. Why even bother being here if we’re just going to accept defeat in these games every year?

 

[TomRad85]

Don't understand the "fall out" we always get done at the Albion regardless of who's in charge and who's on the pitch.
Who genuinely thought we would get a result yesterday?

Good excuse for another whiney bitch thread about Robins though isn't it?

 

[WestEndAgro]

There is about 7 or 8 away grounds in this league we ‘always get done at’. Why even bother being here if we’re just going to accept defeat in these games every year?

not saying we should accept defeat, but it was just about as obvious as saying tomorrow is Friday.

 

[ccfcricoh]

Robins had 14 games and got us to 17th

In the 6 games since, with 2 managers we've played 4 of the top 6 (3 away from home) and we've climbed a place.

I'm not judging anything till the new year but in hindsight its clear Robins was struggling and a change was needed

 

[shmmeee]

Don't understand the "fall out" we always get done at the Albion regardless of who's in charge and who's on the pitch.
Who genuinely thought we would get a result yesterday?

Not about the result. It’s the same old shite. Soft as fuck goals. No fight. No invention. No courage. All the problems with this squad once again to the fore. WBA played in cruise control, didn’t even try and attack, and won 2-0 easily.

 

[Boicey]

Not writing Lampard off and here's here so he'll have my full support. But I don't see Lampard getting any more out of this group of players than Robins would.

I think FL will tighten things up somewhat.
But it's a bang average squad we paid a lot for and that's largely on Robins.
Are people seriously suggesting giving Robins even more money in January would have been a good idea after he bought in Collins, Kitching, JDS, EMC, BTA, Binks etc?

 

[shmmeee]

I think FL will tighten things up somewhat.
But it's a bang average squad we paid a lot for and that's largely on Robins.
Are people seriously suggesting giving Robins even more money in January would have been a good idea after he bought in Collins, Kitching, JDS, EMC, BTA, Binks etc?

Right. Let’s get the crayons out cos this keeps coming up. Robins had six years of being hailed across the football league as having brilliant recruitment under Badlan. Badlan left, Austin came in, signings have gone to shit.

What changed wasn’t Robins. It was Austin. Austin who has never done a recruitment role in his life and was plucked from St Albans (Badlan on his third job at a reasonable level with us). Managers don’t scout players. Managers make wish lists that scouts find options for.

It is far far more likely that the sudden downturn in our recruitment policy that coincided exactly with a change in Head of Recruitment is because of that change than because the manager just went mental one day. And before you start that, this was when Viveash and Lawrence were still here.

The only other change was the chairman.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Right. Let’s get the crayons out cos this keeps coming up. Robins had six years of being hailed across the football league as having brilliant recruitment under Badlan. Badlan left, Austin came in, signings have gone to shit.

What changed wasn’t Robins. It was Austin. Austin who has never done a recruitment role in his life and was plucked from St Albans (Badlan on his third job at a reasonable level with us). Managers don’t scout players. Managers make wish lists that scouts find options for.

It is far far more likely that the sudden downturn in our recruitment policy that coincided exactly with a change in Head of Recruitment is far more likely because of that change than because the manager just went mental one day. And before you start that, this was when Viveash and Lawrence were still here.

The only other change was the chairman.

Wasn't Austin Robins' own appointment though and a fairly long-term friend of his?

You're only as good as the people around you and Robins recruited someone that wasn't anywhere near qualified for the role he was brought in for.

Badlan had a much better CV prior to coming here despite being 15/20 years younger than Austin. Have to question Robins' logic when bringing him on board.

 

[shmmeee]

Wasn't Austin Robins' own appointment though and a fairly long-term friend of his?

You're only as good as the people around you and Robins recruited someone that wasn't anywhere near qualified for the role he was brought in for.

Badlan had a much better CV prior to coming here despite being 15/20 years younger than Austin. Have to question Robins' logic when bringing him on board.

Sure. And also Kings logic in keeping him around when he decided Robins judgement in staff wasn’t up to scratch.

If I were King I wouldn’t be giving him another penny. And I’d be finding someone, for the first time as CCFC Chairman, who has actually done the fucking job before to replace him.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Sure. And also Kings logic in keeping him around when he decided Robins judgement in staff wasn’t up to scratch.

If I were King I wouldn’t be giving him another penny. And I’d be finding someone, for the first time as CCFC Chairman, who has actually done the fucking job before to replace him.

If I had to guess I would imagine he's here until the new DoF arrives and gets his feet under the table.

At the end of the day he's not the new DoF's man, nor is he FL's. That puts him in a pretty poor position moving forward really and his track record thus far certainly wouldn't have helped his cause.

 

[shmmeee]

If I had to guess I would imagine he's here until the new DoF arrives and gets his feet under the table.

At the end of the day he's not the new DoF's man, nor is he FL's. That puts him in a pretty poor position moving forward really and his track record thus far certainly wouldn't have helped his cause.

He’s really the odd one out in the leadership team. I’m very surprised Doug didn’t throw him under the bus with Robins, but maybe he knows that would mean admitting the squad need cash spent on it.

 

[David O'Day]

Don't need to, it was obvious to anyone with eyes. He was done.

ignore that Bedworth twat, he's an attention seeking nob

 

[Nick]

That’s if you believe every word that comes out of King’s mouth, of course.

Depends which bit.

It came out of Robins mouth that he did the coaching setup.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

He’s really the odd one out in the leadership team. I’m very surprised Doug didn’t throw him under the bus with Robins, but maybe he knows that would mean admitting the squad need cash spent on it.

It sends a pretty strong message to the fans and throughout the club if Austin is sacked.

As it's admitting that the project as so far failed and that yet another rebuild will be required, this time on a budget that is likely extremely limited without support from player sales + Gyokeres moving on.

So from a PR POV I see why he didn't get rid along with Robins. But equally, that doesn't mean he's not on borrowed time.

 

[shmmeee]

It sends a pretty strong message to the fans and throughout the club if Austin is sacked.

As it's admitting that the project as so far failed and that yet another rebuild will be required, this time on a budget that is likely extremely limited without support from player sales + Gyokeres moving on.

So from a PR POV I see why he didn't get rid along with Robins. But equally, that doesn't mean he's not on borrowed time.

I do wonder what conversations are like around the club. Can’t help but feel we’ve wasted a generational windfall.

 

[covboy9]

Nothings really changed since frank took over, we are a bang average side with higher aspirations

 

[Great_Expectations]

I’m not sure we can say we’ve improved yet or anything has changed.

It’s same old, same old regardless of managers. Miss every chance we get, concede every chance against us.

Put this in the match thread and it’s a question of why.

I don’t believe the squad is relegation territory, but the results are showing otherwise. Either tactics have been poor under successive managers, the players actually aren’t very good or they just aren’t playing anywhere near their potential.

FL needs to find the answer and sort it quick. I want him to succeed as I’m Coventry fan first and foremost, but despite what others have said we’ve had a great few seasons under MR and fans are used to looking upwards.

 

[Calista]

Because he got rid of his number 2 and didn't own up?

I think Gazza did that in the team bath once didn't he?

 

[Senior Vick from Alicante]

The team is good enough but lacks the game guidance to get things done. We have all pointed to the lack of a couple of older heads that can get things going and guide those around them. You can be the best coach in the world but you have to have a general and we collectively haven't, coupled with the drop off in Sheafs form teams think we are light weight. If its a wish list for January it has to be an older combative midfielder that can drive the team on the pitch until the end of the season. Frank can then take stock with the new SD and recruit his type of players. This season was always going to be a reset after Robins went, its about getting it right for the summer for me.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

I do wonder what conversations are like around the club. Can’t help but feel we’ve wasted a generational windfall.

Pretty dire as it isn't the fairytale DK envisaged. But this is football.

Weirdly, with the infrastructure DK is putting in place I do feel quietly confident that things will pick up next season. This is a structure that FL knows well and has operated in, in the past so it's not unfamiliar and is probably more suited to how he operates.

For Robins it was completely foreign and not at all what he was used to under the previous regime. Perhaps that's why he chose to bring Austin in, as he wanted a familiar face who's worked at a lower level that 'got him' and his style.

 

[Major Tom]

It's fairly simple, we have shit centre backs Joel. Bobby, Luis and Liam aren't good enough, 2 goals in 7 of the last 8 games.

We need a new left back, while I would keep Bidwell I wouldn't be playing him, perfect back up.

Lastly we need a player that can be the spark between middle and attack, aka a proper number 10.

Joel, binks, liam and Bobby are simply not good enough, if you want to finish around 16th in the table then yes keep these 4

Rudoni isn't good enough, compare his work and creativity to O'hare and it is telling.

Dasilva isn't at the standard, if you want him to play you play him as a winger and you then have yourself a poor winger.

Unfortunately when having a squad overhaul you're just not gonna get everything right.
Dasilva, Joel, Liam, Bobby, Luis, Rudoni, BTA unfortunately are examples of getting it wrong.

Mve, Sakamoto, Wright. Mason Clarke, Torp and Simms have all come in and settled down and done well, when given a chance.

If your central defence is terrible you're going to struggle, if your number 10 can't link the play you will waste chance after chance, regardless of xg.

Luckily for us tho, we are 3 or 4 players away from the jigsaw being complete, however this will all depend on Doug King now. If he passes around, we will lose Sheaf, Wright and Mve, and then it's back to the very beginning.

We have wasted so much money, one name in particular is BTA, £2 million on a player that honestly for me, looks so out of his depth in this division, he has no ball control, his first touch is dreadful and he just looks like a league 1 player. Serious questions must be asked of our head of recruitment Austin.

BTA Top scorer for WBA last season

 

[Frankly_Mr_Shankly]

King thinks they're good enough

Robins signed them

 

[SkyBlueMatt]

I really need to stay off here after I've had a drink.

 

[shmmeee]

Pretty dire as it isn't the fairytale DK envisaged. But this is football.

Weirdly, with the infrastructure DK is putting in place I do feel quietly confident that things will pick up next season. This is a structure that FL knows well and has operated in, in the past so it's not unfamiliar and is probably more suited to how he operates.

For Robins it was completely foreign and not at all what he was used to under the previous regime. Perhaps that's why he chose to bring Austin in, as he wanted a familiar face who's worked at a lower level that 'got him' and his style.

I just don’t think the staffing is right. I think we’re lacking in personality and skill set in the coaches, the leads of other departments are in their first role of the type including the chairman. It’s not just the defence that could do with an experienced head. What worries me is that Austin is the closest thing to that purely because of his age and contacts.

 

[SkyBlueMatt]

I don't think this is very healthy or helpful to be honest.

Can't we just move on? He's gone and we have to get over it.

I am trying