We would have been better off with Robins (28 Viewers)

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
But ofcourse many of us still think he should be starting ? Including me
Interestingly he said almost exactly the same about Binks

Manager Mark Robins said: “We’re very pleased to welcome Luis back to the Club, this time permanently.

“Luis impressed us with his ability and versatility last season while on loan with us, and he is a positive presence to have around the Club.

“He is an accomplished defender who is good on the ball and has an experience, and maturity that belies his years, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to continue to work with him as he continues his development with us.”

People want Kitching to start because it’s probably the least bad option. But the qualities MR identified in him he just hasn’t shown.
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
King said this is a top 6 'deck', (I appreciate he couldn't really say anything else though there are those on here who think if you say it yo the CET it must be true!).

He said the players are now 'Premier league fit'.

Robins had them in at least play off, if not autos form for over 3 months last season.

I have serious doubts about this squad myself but there's plenty that's points to the fact that actually, they're not too bad and it's us doubters who have got it wrong.

My personal opinion is this squad is technically good enough, but they are very, very weak mentally.
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
Why was it the defence last season? Up until hull we had the 5th best defence in the league

We made some shocking defensive errors in the first third of the season

The good part of the season coincided with the defence tightening up. Then went to bits again towards the end
 

blunted

Well-Known Member
If Robins was agreeing to signings without checking them out himself then he needs to except responsibility.

It sounds like he was naive to the extreme in his trust of his recruitment team.
A good manager should constantly check the work of his staff
In elite systems, Managers or Head Coaches no longer have the final say on signings. In fact, they are often overruled regarding their choices. They have input, not ultimate control. It is well documented how the whole system changed when Brendan Rodgers screwed up at Liverpool insisting on the signing of Benteke when all his staff recommended other better choices. Most top clubs have changed to this recruitment driven system.
This is how elite clubs operate now and is why they have a Director of Football who coordinates recruitment. This allows the coaches to concentrate on the performance on pitch and tactical issues.
Robins alluded to his lesser control on recruitment and loans during his various interviews.
I suspect King with advice has listened more to his new staff and his contacts at other clubs about how to organise recruitment.
I wait with baited breathe for our new Director of Football.
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
In elite systems, Managers or Head Coaches no longer have the final say on signings. In fact, they are often overruled regarding their choices. They have input, not ultimate control. It is well documented how the whole system changed when Brendan Rodgers screwed up at Liverpool insisting on the signing of Benteke when all his staff recommended other better choices. Most top clubs have changed to this recruitment driven system.
This is how elite clubs operate now and is why they have a Director of Football who coordinates recruitment. This allows the coaches to concentrate on the performance on pitch and tactical issues.
Robins alluded to his lesser control on recruitment and loans during his various interviews.
I suspect King with advice has listened more to his new staff and his contacts at other clubs about how to organise recruitment.
I wait with baited breathe for our new Director of Football.

Dean Austin and King said that no players were signed without Robins' agreement
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if EMC was a Robins?signing, but it's irrelevant really as it was the time to cash in on Haji,of course it was a two year plan for him then he's got some catching up to do in the new year.
I mean if it's the plan or he moves central to move Simms on the plan has gone spectacularly wrong!or it was always the plan which makes the signing of EMC too early for me?
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
Well all that does is exclude the recruitment department of any part of the recruitment process when in reality robins is the end of the line

I agree, but its kinda like his stamp of approval on it. Feels to me like he trusted his staff a bit too much
 

TomRad85

Well-Known Member
Why? He has zero track record as a coach. If the ITK rumour merchants are to be believed he didn’t get on with half the current squad either.
Seems to get on with Kitching who is seen as a bad egg on this forum too.
 

blunted

Well-Known Member
Dean Austin and King said that no players were signed without Robins' agreement
Absolutely, but in the immortal words of Mandy Rice-Davies they would say that wouldn't they. It is about nuance not the full facts. Amazing how everything bad at the club was Robins fault. Do you honestly believe that, or does it sound more reasonable that there should be collective responsibility?
Mark you wanted a striker. We have identified a young Belgium player that ticks all the boxes.
You don't go out and watch him several times like old school managers used to or spend all your time looking at the stats and videos. You rely on the advice of the recruitment team especially as you are no longer the sole decision maker in that area of operation. Robins is clearly not going to say no to more players if we have done due diligence. Robins has always said he wants more players and has always said he did not want Hyam (under SISU) or O'Hare and Palmer to leave. Decisions taken out of his control then, although I get the compelling reasons for them going.
Look at recruitment during the Robins era and there was a mix of experience, young players to develop and loans. Hello, that has all changed. Do you really thing that was Robins decision to throw his whole modus operandi out of the window for a new approach?
 

Evo1883

Well-Known Member
All the indications are that Robins wanted Austin as head of recruitment. Surely because of that the implication is that Robins trusted his judgement.

Dean Austin isn't the only scout at the club though , something conveniently never mentioned
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
If that was the case, why did he wait a total of nearly two seasons?

Youd have had a job sacking him during the playoff run 🤣

Robins is an unusual manager being here for six years when King arrived. He was basically unsackable. Just saying it’s rare an owner comes in and gets on with the people there. New toy, they want their people, just personality clashes, whatever.

When Sisu decided to sell up it was probably always the beginning of the end for robins.
 

blunted

Well-Known Member
Youd have had a job sacking him during the playoff run 🤣

Robins is an unusual manager being here for six years when King arrived. He was basically unsackable. Just saying it’s rare an owner comes in and gets on with the people there. New toy, they want their people, just personality clashes, whatever.

When Sisu decided to sell up it was probably always the beginning of the end for robins.
We had something unbelievably special at our club with the set up of Boddy, Adi and Mark that has only previously happened twice in my lifetime. The Jimmy Hill era and during George and John's tenure. Some fun with Milne and Gould on occasions but the rest pretty meh. Mediocre is our default situation.
I really hope King hasn't royally screwed up.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
We had something unbelievably special at our club with the set up of Boddy, Adi and Mark that has only previously happened twice in my lifetime. The Jimmy Hill era and during George and John's tenure. Some fun with Milne and Gould on occasions but the rest pretty meh. Mediocre is our default situation.
I really hope King hasn't royally screwed up.

There’s a fair argument that Robins might not have been able to continue with or without Adi. But I can’t get past the idea that if that’s your hypothesis you give him more than 14 games to find out.
 

Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue

Well-Known Member
Some absolute belters in there. Blaming Doug for people falling out or blaming him for Hamer moving for a massive fee.

Sounds like he's as bad as our previous owners!

All owners make pledges. It's advertising and it's worked well because we are averaging 26,000 fans a week. The whole PL package is hilarious because not once did anyone promise promotion with it. We are aligned with most other clubs with carer/Senior Citizen tickets.

Sponsorship is another funny one. You can't win. Would you prefer Betfred on the front?

Im not blaming him for Hamer leaving for a ‘massive fee’, I’m blaming him for the lack of planning and having a proper head of recruitment in position, not a failed manager having a go in his first scouting role. Austin says he provides a service for the manager, sounds like he should be washing the kits not recommending players.
 

Chris1987

Well-Known Member
There’s a fair argument that Robins might not have been able to continue with or without Adi. But I can’t get past the idea that if that’s your hypothesis you give him more than 14 games to find out.
There was enough evidence there to suggest that Adi was being sorely missed and over a longer period Lawrence too. Granted there were extra influencing factors ( tired squad) but the record over that extended period was terrible.
 

Chris1987

Well-Known Member
Im not blaming him for Hamer leaving for a ‘massive fee’, I’m blaming him for the lack of planning and having a proper head of recruitment in position, not a failed manager having a go in his first scouting role. Austin says he provides a service for the manager, sounds like he should be washing the kits not recommending players.
Robins by all accounts wanted Austin in that role and King trusted his judgement.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
The show on cwr had David Burrows on I think bigging up Frank and then revealed he'd just done masters in dof, when the told him a post was going here he asked to put his name forward! 🤔😂
 

RobinsSkyBlues

Well-Known Member
So you fully blame King? Do you really think things would be any different under a different ownership. Or, worse still, SISU?
That's stretching it a bit.

Has King changed the way we recruit players? Have we been happy at the start of each season with the depth of our squad?

It's as though some don't like questioning what King does at all.
 

Evo1883

Well-Known Member
There was enough evidence there to suggest that Adi was being sorely missed and over a longer period Lawrence too. Granted there were extra influencing factors ( tired squad) but the record over that extended period was terrible.
But I mean these people were here in previous seasons too when we started slowly ? The evidence wasn't there at all really

Did we miss adi and Dennis, sure but we had early season issues with them too
 

Chris1987

Well-Known Member
But I mean these people were here in previous seasons too when we started slowly ? The evidence wasn't there at all really

Did we miss adi and Dennis, sure but we had early season issues with them too
True but I seriously question who it was that instigated the turnarounds for the better
 

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