My concern with Robins (3 Viewers)

[Skyblueweeman]

I think the most impressive thing about Robins is the calmness. He learned a valuable lesson when he left the first time for Huddersfield, teams need to be built rather bought. He also has humility, you have to eat humble pie to admit you were wrong to have left. The coaching set up and staff are highly thought of by the fan base, players who come recognise that they will become better under Robins and his team and buy into the whole team ethos which includes the fans. Its not very often that these things click into place, the fact that Robins has been able to achieve this under the previous regime makes it all the more remarkable. Sisu did two things right in their time here, they arguably saved us from financial oblivion and appointed Robins twice. Enjoy it while you can as there will be admirers of his talents who will be tempted to try and nick him, hopefully he will finish the job before we loose the most integral part of the team.

I'm pretty surprised he's not been approached by other teams before.

 

---

[Astute]

This always was a daft thread doomed to be full of mea culpas only weeks later.

I have supported City since 1962 and until Robins came, had only experienced one period of sustained success - 1962-67 - otherwise success was restricted to brief spasms of joy, the last one being Eric Black 20 year ago. Therefore after 6 years of winning most weeks, and two promotions, I am prepared to give Robins a colossal amount of slack to the point of sticking with him even if we had been relegated. He is 54 and with luck we will have another six years of him and his team.

If he had a stroke of luck it was that by taking over when we really were in the 'slough of despond' he had more space and time to develop the machinery you need. One wonders what his fate would have been had he been given the job say before Thorne with no time to put the building blocks in place and an owner as yet to learn how to run a football club. Probably fired within 18 months.

This year he started with:
- Minus his three best players from the previous season (add Doyle to the obvious) and also McNally.
- The recruitment team had not been able to deliver like for like replacements. We underrate how difficult that is to do.
- At least two of the key new signings - Wright and Saka - did not easily fit the well established 3-4-2-1 (or similar) we had been using
- By Oct as few as 1-2 players were in the team from the 22-23.. Again we underrate the size of the task building a team mentality

Robins' innate conservatism puts a high value on consistency. The team has definitely prospered from this. They know exactly where they stand. But that applies to selection and formation and Robins has a record of being slightly behind the curve on bringing in change. But it is a trade off and we have gained massively from that consistency of approach.

I'm fully with you.

Born in 68. All I ever knew was top flight football and mainly relegation battles. Seen many managers come and go. Mainly glad to see the back of them. Didn't appreciate them days until they were gone. Then it all went downhill very quickly. In all my years just won the FA Cup (although it was massive them days and not the reserve of the big clubs). Not even a top 6 finish when smaller clubs could still win the title. Then it all went tits up very quickly.

My little boy has been very lucky. His first game was in Italy. Still mentions the chat he had with a young lad called Maddison. As well as moments like watching us get tonked away at Yeovil there have been visits to Wembley and promotions. He now knows what it is like to have a favourite player. He has seen nothing really but us improving all the time. Poor lad is now 14. Hasn't got a clue about the bad days. Reality will hit one day. But even he knows how important to us Robins is.

 

[Astute]

I'm pretty surprised he's not been approached by other teams before.

We have most probably been approached before. But what club would even tempt Robins to leave us again? He knows the grass isn't greener. Been there it went wrong. Got a second bite of the cherry with us.

Why would he want to give up on a club where he has a massive say in everything and is coming towards the end of what was a long term plan of getting us to the Prem? The hard work is done. 6 years to take an average League 2 side at best to a side with players worth millions all over the pitch. Most probably any offers would have been for sides needing work. A backwards step when you consider what happened at Huddersfield.

 

[shmmeee]

I think he doesn’t go looking and it’s generally accepted he’s happy and not looking to leave. How many approaches do Man City get for Pep? Doesn’t mean he’s not a manager others would want.

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

I believe at various points both Stoke and Sunderland have sounded MR out about moving on.

 

[Robinshio]

I think he has a very enjoyable life style - Roundly liked by fans and team - and he has experienced how that can go wrong with one bad decision, when he jumped ship before
He is probably paid quite well, but could probably earn double if he went looking for it
But keep on doing what he has done for the last 7 years, and he has a long term role here - Move elsewhere and he maybe looking for another job come the summer
Doug kept his nerve when we were near the bottom before the international break, after spending so much - How many other clubs would have panicked at that point

COH should take note

 

[shmmeee]

Ultimately the only contract situation that matters.

I think with the resources available now we’ll be promoted within 3 seasons. Still got £10m+ in the bank from Hamer, another chunk to come from Vik in all likelihood. Team looks very settled for the next three or four years. Maybe needs another £10-12m on it in the summer if Vik moves and Cal leaves to make it a solid autos contender.

 

[PVA]

I believe at various points both Stoke and Sunderland have sounded MR out about moving on.

Sunderland made an official approach when we were both in L1 didn't they?

 

[Skyblueweeman]

Sunderland made an official approach when we were both in L1 didn't they?

Yeah I think so. Seemed to remember that.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

I think he has a very enjoyable life style - Roundly liked by fans and team - and he has experienced how that can go wrong with one bad decision, when he jumped ship before
He is probably paid quite well, but could probably earn double if he went looking for it
But keep on doing what he has done for the last 7 years, and he has a long term role here - Move elsewhere and he maybe looking for another job come the summer
Doug kept his nerve when we were near the bottom before the international break, after spending so much - How many other clubs would have panicked at that point

COH should take note

There was nothing for Doug to lose his nerve over. Fans get carried away with emotions which is why you had people on here questioning the ownership, signings, MR and his team. It’s often the case that we’re short term

Even at our lowest, the xG table had us at 6th and whilst those kind of stats don’t really mean anything… It does give an indication that our results weren’t the best reflection of our performances. In contrast, PNE were below us on that metric and lo and behold, in a couple of months we leapfrog them.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Just 4 words, In Robins we trust.

 

[Brylowes]

I think he doesn’t go looking and it’s generally accepted he’s happy and not looking to leave. How many approaches do Man City get for Pep? Doesn’t mean he’s not a manager others would want.

I think he is very happy here, I also think he realises that any club coming in for him would likely be doing so to replace the manager they’ve just sacked, that club would very likely be in the midst of falling fortunes and that club would be looking for a near immediate solution to their problems and a marked improvement in form and results.
He could easily take another job and find himself sacked after 20 odd games.

He seems to oversee the footballing side of the club completely, he carefully and patiently puts in place all the building blocks required to keep moving the club forward, probably why he always appears so calm ’nothing is ever wholly dependent on our next result, not even a play off final at Wembley.

It‘s a long term project for him and the majority of the fan base have fully bought into it.
For evidence of this look no further than 25,000 + rocking the CBS Arena every home game.

 

[wingy]

lati is a capable right back and eccles can also play there, also leeds are not going to loan us a player to be a back up we wouldn't pay the fee they would want (remember he is a leeds player on loan at blue

you need to get real with your suggestions

We have a perfectly capable RB also LB out on loan currently?

 

[SkyBlueMatt]

I think Robins is happy here, he'll be well paid (in relation to Championship managers). I don't think it's about the money though. The fans love him plus he has more freedom to make decisions than he would get at a lot of clubs.

He has had success but it's still unfinished. He's taken a club from L2 to the Championship and has a good shot of taking us up again. There isn't that many managers that have achieved what he has a chance to.

He wants his statue.

 

[Colin Steins Smile]

I agree with a lot of what's been said in relation to MR.
1. He's got control of the footballing side of the club, which at some other places he would have a number of others involved in final decisions.
2. He has created 4 generations of teams to take us from L2 to being a play off team in the Championship. As a coach he has a lot of personal investment in the current team and must feel he's got a chance of fulfilling his aim of taking us back to the PL.
3. He has an element of job security here which most other clubs do not give their Manager.
Therefore, it would take some amazing offer to tempt him to leave us now.

 

[Chris1987]

I agree with a lot of what's been said in relation to MR.
1. He's got control of the footballing side of the club, which at some other places he would have a number of others involved in final decisions.
2. He has created 4 generations of teams to take us from L2 to being a play off team in the Championship. As a coach he has a lot of personal investment in the current team and must feel he's got a chance of fulfilling his aim of taking us back to the PL.
3. He has an element of job security here which most other clubs do not give their Manager.
Therefore, it would take some amazing offer to tempt him to leave us now.

I believe that he has one aim yet to complete and that's taking the club into the PL. This would be an absolutely monumental achievement considering all the adversity along the way.

 

[Adge]

I believe that he has one aim yet to complete and that's taking the club into the PL. This would be an absolutely monumental achievement considering all the adversity along the way.

Yep-and I certainly believe he eventually will!