Manager/Coach Robbo out. Thread number 2

[Osei Yaw]

The problem I have with the 'promotion at all costs' argument is where do you go from there? I get it's a nice problem to have to solve, but if you go up playing dull, uninspiring football, then chances are the manager will get another year in the Championship and we'll have a team of effective cloggers and then a season of anti football with little chance of survival - doesn't sound as fun as it could be. If we went up next season, we'd obviously have to prepare to get pasted by teams like Fulham when they come back down regardless of how we play, that's just the chasm between PL ready teams and the bottom of the Championship, but I do enjoy a mix of pragmatism, shithouse-ry  and good football.

So, I hope and expect that Robbo is told he's got next season to get us up, and he's given a budget to make it happen. I'm hoping he is told he needs a more balanced squad and that he can't just sign loads of wingers and claim they're full backs. There's no doubt he's good at putting the attacking elements of a team together, if he can just address/be made to address the defensive side of the game then he could be the dream ticket, as he ticks a lot of boxes. However, if he's not got us comfortably in the top six by December then he's gone. That's a minimum expectation as far as I see it and I'd hope the board will have a list of candidates ready should we find ourselves adrift by then.

 

[Big Ron]

The problem I have with the 'promotion at all costs' argument is where do you go from there? I get it's a nice problem to have to solve, but if you go up playing dull, uninspiring football, then chances are the manager will get another year in the Championship and we'll have a team of effective cloggers and then a season of anti football with little chance of survival - doesn't sound as fun as it could be. If we went up next season, we'd obviously have to prepare to get pasted by teams like Fulham when they come back down regardless of how we play, that's just the chasm between PL ready teams and the bottom of the Championship, but I do enjoy a mix of pragmatism, shithouse-ry  and good football.

So, I hope and expect that Robbo is told he's got next season to get us up, and he's given a budget to make it happen. I'm hoping he is told he needs a more balanced squad and that he can't just sign loads of wingers and claim they're full backs. There's no doubt he's good at putting the attacking elements of a team together, if he can just address/be made to address the defensive side of the game then he could be the dream ticket, as he ticks a lot of boxes. However, if he's not got us comfortably in the top six by December then he's gone. That's a minimum expectation as far as I see it and I'd hope the board will have a list of candidates ready should we find ourselves adrift by then.

Yep, a balanced squad would seem to be the key. He coaches seem to have little contribution to the recruitment process, given that Craig Short and Mous were pretty accomplished defenders.

 

[Berliner]

I am still of the opinion that we would be in the playoffs if we replaced Gorrin with an Ahmed Kashi type in the middle. Would have taken the pressure off the back line enormously. We will never know though.

 

[bazzer9461]

Maybe KR to QPR compensation to us and MAP’s now available? (Or should you never go back??)

Never go back

 

[bazzer9461]

If Robinson left for QPR then I’d hope we would get someone a lot better than Appleton in.
He was the right fit at the right time but he isn’t the most loyal of guys and I’d say there are now better managers out there.

Warburton

 

[Osei Yaw]

Yep, a balanced squad would seem to be the key. He coaches seem to have little contribution to the recruitment process, given that Craig Short and Mous were pretty accomplished defenders.

I am still of the opinion that we would be in the playoffs if we replaced Gorrin with an Ahmed Kashi type in the middle. Would have taken the pressure off the back line enormously. We will never know though.

Robbo's ability to build a balanced squad is his biggest weakness, I think. It meant we were stuck as soon as we needed to deviate from the 1 player we had that can play a certain position and role (Gorrin as the ball winner, Seddon as the left back). Other than that big blindspot, I really like KR, and so I'd be loathe for him to be canned as I think solving his weakness is probably easier and quicker than getting a new guy in.

2 players for every position should be the blueprint he's told to work from. It's ridiculous that our excess stock of wingers/number 10s meant we had to wait so long to see Bodin was a class act, and yet we had nobody else to play left back or defensive midfield. It's League 1 so we all accept players aren't perfect, so if that means you get an attack minded right back in the mould of Chris Cadden to supplement Long, and a responsible defender in the mould of Joe Skarz for the left hand side to complement Seddon, then that's fine by me. A big unit up top so we're not kicking it up to Taylor to contest with a 6ft 4 centre back. It goes on. Even with the loan players gone, Sykes off and Brannagan likely to go, it shouldn't be hard to fill the team with quality given our supposed budget and ambitions.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Robbo's ability to build a balanced squad is his biggest weakness, I think. It meant we were stuck as soon as we needed to deviate from the 1 player we had that can play a certain position and role (Gorrin as the ball winner, Seddon as the left back). Other than that big blindspot, I really like KR, and so I'd be loathe for him to be canned as I think solving his weakness is probably easier and quicker than getting a new guy in.

2 players for every position should be the blueprint he's told to work from. It's ridiculous that our excess stock of wingers/number 10s meant we had to wait so long to see Bodin was a class act, and yet we had nobody else to play left back or defensive midfield. It's League 1 so we all accept players aren't perfect, so if that means you get an attack minded right back in the mould of Chris Cadden to supplement Long, and a responsible defender in the mould of Joe Skarz for the left hand side to complement Seddon, then that's fine by me. A big unit up top so we're not kicking it up to Taylor to contest with a 6ft 4 centre back. It goes on. Even with the loan players gone, Sykes off and Brannagan likely to go, it shouldn't be hard to fill the team with quality given our supposed budget and ambitions.

This is all true. But who will 'tell him'?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I really like KR, and so I'd be loathe for him to be canned as I think solving his weakness is probably easier and quicker than getting a new guy in.

Unless he continues to refuse to budge, in which case it will never change.

Next season is make or break for him.

 

[Berliner]

This is all true. But who will 'tell him'?

I don't think telling him is the problem, it's whether he will listen.

 

[Osei Yaw]

This is all true. But who will 'tell him'?

I'll do it.

Or, one of our board can. They're probably better placed than me.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I'll do it.

Or, one of our board can. They're probably better placed than me.

I'm not sure our board are football experts. Aren't they more money guys?

 

[Osei Yaw]

Unless he continues to refuse to budge, in which case it will never change.

Next season is make or break for him.

Exactamundo Birdio. I hope he does budge, all the way to the left back shop.

I realise my response above to Werther's assumes the board understand football enough to make him change and that's the hole in my hopes for how this all plays out. I'm sure the board know their way around a stadium project very well, but I'm not convinced they'll know about squad construction.

 

[Osei Yaw]

I'm not sure our board are football experts. Aren't they more money guys?

Oh snap. I just acknowledged this too.

I suppose there are plenty of experts on here they can ask *cough* me *cough*.

Alternatively, they could ask the bloke that sits near me at home games. He waves his arms around a lot and shouts 'MOOOOVE', and other useful things like 'WANT IT'.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Exactamundo Birdio. I hope he does budge, all the way to the left back shop.

He doesn’t even know where the left back shop is, Derick. He’s like an elite level MumsNet user; she doesn’t even notice the signs outside Aldi or Lidl anymore. She would rather drown the children in the recently installed koi pond than feed them anything that isn’t from M&S.

 

[Leysboy]

Warburton

Use your loaf

 

[Osei Yaw]

He doesn’t even know where the left back shop is, Derick. He’s like an elite level MumsNet user; she doesn’t even notice the signs outside Aldi or Lidl anymore. She would rather drown the children in the recently installed koi pond than feed them anything that isn’t from M&S.

You're right. I suppose the best we can hope for is that he buys a couple of defective wingers from the winger shop who both want to play at full back instead.

That's the second reference you've made to MumsNet today, isn't it? Have they banned you again?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

That's the second reference you've made to MumsNet today, isn't it? Have they banned you again?

I’VE GOT NOTHING LEFT

 

[Oxymoron]

Robbo's ability to build a balanced squad is his biggest weakness,

It is the club's biggest weakness. If those players that had agreed to sign before having their heads turned had actually been landed, I suspect we would be complaining about not having enough out and out strikers so that Matty could have a rest!

But it is what it is and we simply must find a way of turning telephone calls and handshakes into signatures on the dotted line.

 

[yellowbow]

According to the OM Robinson now joint favourite at 4/1 for the QPR job...

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

James Rowberry or John Eustace top two according to the mirror within last 30 mins !