We would have been better off with Robins (4 Viewers)

[MalcSB]

I was gutted when Robins left. There I’ve said it. I do think he would have turned it around. However I know a couple of people with connections within the club and a couple of weeks earlier to his sacking I had been told stories very similar to Doug’s explanation on BBC radio of why he pulled the trigger. Maybe sadly it was just time ?

I’m surprised by how much I’m liking Lampard. Clearly an intelligent guy that is interesting to listen to and has a deep thought process about football. It’s also obvious how much the team like him and equally how he has embraced the CCFC culture including our fan base.

At the minute for me it’s still Robins team. A team Lampard inherited that had the right ingredients but one that was massively misfiring. All credit to Lampard and his team for coming in and getting it working. How good Lampard is will be seen over the next season or so with the additions to the squad he wants and putting his longer term mark on it.

That been said let’s get behind what’s happening as it’s still and incredibly exciting time. Super Super Frank………..

His last match interview - he isn’t going to let people forget where we were in the table when he took up the head coach role. Can’t blame him for that else one day people will be trying to diminish his achievement. I am getting a bit pissed off that he seems to be trying to insinuate a role in the relationship between players and supporters. That is quite wrong, his team and players have maintained the relationship developed under Robins and supported by the generality of the change in ownership and associated philosophy.

Matt Grimes was an inspired signing that has had an impact on more than one position on the field. If that is what an elite tactition brings to the party he should have been invited a couple of years ago.

 

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[nunchuckas]

Lampard is better at getting the results against the dross???? Really????

Hull, Derby, Plymouth, Luton???
Is that the dross your on about???


Hey, this isn't a comparison or a competition between 2 great managers.
Can we just enjoy getting a 5th place play off place? And be thankful for that.

Yeah, we have had a tough time more recently with the injuries racking up. But under Lampard we won 9 in 10 against teams like Preston, Swansea, Bristol, who we normally never beat. We ground out particularly ugly wins against QPR and Portsmouth in the sort of game we never used to win. Under Robins I don't think we have that level of consistency and pragmatism. We might have gone up to Sunderland and won though instead, we'll never know.

It's so wild that people think rating both Robins and Lampard is mutually exclusive no one can deny Lampard has done a great job since he came in. And no one can truly say they think Robins is a bad manager.

I'm just pointing out the differences between the two, from what we've seen so far. Talking about football is interesting to me, a football fan of Coventry City. And at no point am I trying to point score one against the other, like the majority of reactionary fans who think one opinion is enough. Both are good and I'm very interested in noting the differences, strengths, weaknesses etc.

 

[clint van damme]

I am getting a bit pissed off that he seems to be trying to insinuate a role in the relationship between players and supporters.

Don't see it like that to be honest, not sure that's what he's trying to do.

Don't think he's an elite tactician either, otherwise he'd be managing at an elite level. And before the usual suspects pile on that's not a dig.

In the same way as much as I love Rudoni I don't think he's an elite level player, (yet).

They're currently in the Championship for a reason, hopefully not for much longer.

 

[nunchuckas]

Perhaps you should follow Stoke next season for their ‘big’ games?

Yes, of course. Because I think Robins isn't a shit manager, I can't possibly think Lampard is good also

 

[nunchuckas]

I backed King sacking Robins because we can't keep having such poor starts to the season taking far too long to Gel. I do think Robins could have got us in to a similar position by the end of the season but I do think the start of the season is where Lampard should be judged, is that better than Robins, do we hit the ground running.

We won't truly know until October next season (assuming we don't go up). Lampard needs to have a full summer and transfer window to fully implement his philosophies, and if he can start a season well too, then it will 100% prove the appointment was the right thing to do.

If we do go up in the playoffs, then that also proves it

 

[nunchuckas]

Robins wouldn't have got us 5th ffs. He'd already lost at home to Norwich, Swansea, Wednesday and Derby, had frozen out Kitching while we had to put up with regular appearances from Binks and Lati and he'd resorted to playing Rudoni, who is possibly our biggest asset right now, at LWB. He'd completely lost it.
He did a great job for us but all good things come to an end. King was bang on to fire him and it seems thus far he was pretty bang on hiring his replacement too.

We were in a worse position at the point he was sacked when he got us to finish 5th 2 seasons ago...

We were in an even worse position last season when he turned it around and got us averaging top 2 form for 4 months until we tailed off in the league after the Wolves game and the cup run killed us.

We'll never know what would have happened, but there's more evidence that he would, than he wouldn't.

It isn't mutually exclusive to think Lampard has done a great job and been a great appointment, and that Robins is also a good manager just acknowledging the differences from what we've seen so far. Hopefully Lampard can get us over the line in the playoff semis and then go one step further in the final. I'm a little bit interested in how Coventry City plays football, so I like to analyse these things.

 

[ptr]

Definite upgrade from Robins to Lampard, but the biggest upgrades were Boateng and Carr to Jones and Edwards.

 

[Sick Boy]

Yes, of course. Because I think Robins isn't a shit manager, I can't possibly think Lampard is good also

Back on Planet Earth, it wasn't actually what you said.

 

[Sick Boy]

Definite upgrade from Robins to Lampard, but the biggest upgrades were Boateng and Carr to Jones and Edwards.

Yeah the backroom staff upgrades were massive and have been key, IMO.

 

[nunchuckas]

Back on Planet Earth, it wasn't actually what you said.

The tl;dr version of what I put was:

Lampard was good at consistently grinding out results (a weakness of Robins).

Robins was good at getting us up for big games and getting unlikely results against teams who are better than us.

Not that one is overall better than the other. But from what I've seen so far, this is the biggest discernable difference.

 

[Sick Boy]

The tl;dr version of what I put was:

Lampard was good at consistently grinding out results (a weakness of Robins).

Robins was good at getting us up for big games and getting unlikely results against teams who are better than us.

Not that one is overall better than the other. But from what I've seen so far, this is the biggest discernable difference.

Under Lampard, we've beaten the teams around us in the play-offs (Sunderland, WBA and 'Boro) when it's mattered, while losing to those lower in the table.

 

[nunchuckas]

Under Lampard, we've beaten the teams around us in the play-offs (Sunderland, WBA and 'Boro) when it's mattered, while losing to those lower in the table.

We have struggled recently with our injuries. During the 9 wins in 10 we beat Swansea, Preston, Bristol - teams we usually struggle against. We've also ground out wins in particularly ugly games against QPR and Portsmouth. We used to struggle in these types of games.

Sunderland, Baggies and Boro were all great wins. But I wouldn't necessarily say they are better teams than us, they're not the level of Leeds, Leicester and Wolves last season. We have only had the Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United games so far under Lampard, so the jury is still out on that aspect.
If we beat Sheffield United at Wembley then that would top the lot though.

 

[Hutch11]

Definite upgrade from Robins to Lampard, but the biggest upgrades were Boateng and Carr to Jones and Edwards.

That is where the true improvement was made

 

[Sick Boy]

We have struggled recently with our injuries. During the 9 wins in 10 we beat Swansea, Preston, Bristol - teams we usually struggle against. We've also ground out wins in particularly ugly games against QPR and Portsmouth. We used to struggle in these types of games.

Sunderland, Baggies and Boro were all great wins. But I wouldn't necessarily say they are better teams than us, they're not the level of Leeds, Leicester and Wolves last season. We have only had the Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United games so far under Lampard, so the jury is still out on that aspect.
If we beat Sheffield United at Wembley then that would top the lot though.

If we beat anyone at Wembley it would eclipse anything of the last 25 years!

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Mark Robins did a good job for us with no money, he'll have money at Stoke so let's see how he gets on next season.

 

[Sick Boy]

Mark Robins did a good job for us with no money, he'll have money at Stoke so let's see how he gets on next season.

He also had money with us?

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

He also had money with us?

Ok if you want to be pedantic, he'll have more money than we had to spend.

 

[Chris1987]

You can’t just put it down to Lampard (as we didn’t with Robins) .

Jones and Edward’s have arguably have had as much an impact as Lampard has (same with Lawrence & Aidy).

Credit FL for bringing them in and also to King for paying for it.


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This being the most significant point of all. It's all about the coaching team .

 

[Adge]

Definite upgrade from Robins to Lampard, but the biggest upgrades were Boateng and Carr to Jones and Edwards.

And less IPads to boot!

 

[Grendel]

Ok if you want to be pedantic, he'll have more money than we had to spend.

Will he? He spent £40 million here.

 

[clint van damme]

He also had money with us?

How many seasons?
Edit - fuck it, this is the anti Robins agenda I'm on about.
He operated for years on a low budget and worked miracles.
Last season and the start of this, yes he had money, this season it went to shit.
But prior to that was on a shoestring. I'm sure the usual suspects will be along to call out this agenda.

 

[Sick Boy]

How many seasons?
Edit - fuck it, this is the anti Robins agenda I'm on about.
He operated for years on a low budget and worked miracles.
Last season and the start of this, yes he had money, this season it went to shit.
But prior to that was on a shoestring. I'm sure the usual suspects will be along to call out this agenda.

Give it a rest. I don’t have an anti-Robins agenda ffs.

We’ve spent money ever season since coming back to the Championship, which is true. How else did we sign the likes of Hamer and Vik?

 

[clint van damme]

Give it a rest. I don’t have an anti-Robins agenda ffs.

Course you don't!
But you didn't answer my question, what seasons did he have money?
Are you denying he worked on a shoestring for most of his time here?

Edit - Just seen youve edited your post, Gus and Vik, what 2.5 mil combined, last of the big spenders!

You don't agree Robins worked miracles on a shoestring? Fair enough.

 

[Evo1883]

Give it a rest. I don’t have an anti-Robins agenda ffs.

We’ve spent money ever season since coming back to the Championship, which is true. How else did we sign the likes of Hamer and Vik?

In fairness they cost a combined 2.2 mill , up until last season we operated on such a Tight budget compared to many in this league , the sale of these players allowed us to become a much better club in terms of spending power and now player value

 

[clint van damme]

In fairness they cost a combined 2.2 mill , up until last season we operated on such a Tight budget compared to many in this league , the sale of these players allowed us to become a much better club in terms of spending power and now player value

I told you I couldn't help myself!

 

[dadgad]

We’re better off since the change. Robins was stale and we were in danger of losing momentum. Frank is a far far better communicator.

 

[Shannerz]

Hate on. Disrespect. Don't give credit. Call it what you want

Got lucky with Injuries that forced 352
High line is so bad it's killing us
433 stubborn and should be changed
So lucky to have win streak we did
Throwing away playoffs
Should have put dovin in for Collins earlier. Should have put Wilson in for Collins earlier
Robins would have got us 5th too as if what lampard did was bare minimum

This is a very strange post.

Some of those are / were reasonable things to raise. Or were in ways they would have been phrased, rather than the exaggerated way you have couched them to try and make a point. I don't think anyone has said the high line is 'killing us', for example, but some have wondered if it's pertinent to play it in every game.

I like Lampard. Getting us to the play offs is a remarkable achievement, considering where we were, regardless of any outside factors or perceived 'luck'. Doesn't mean he can't be questioned, though, or that it's 'hating on' him when he is.

 

[clint van damme]

We’re better off since the change. Robins was stale and we were in danger of losing momentum. Frank is a far far better communicator.

This is a fair point and don't think you can really argue with it
But don't think people need to keep having digs at the previous 7 years though.

But I'll leave it there.

 

[StrettoBoy]

I was one of those who was in the “Give Robins more time to turn it around” camp. He was a great manager for us and I truly believe he saved our club.

One thing I never understood though was the opposition from a lot of fans to Lampard’s appointment. It seemed to me that the only sensible thing was to get behind him and give him a chance.

What FL has achieved so far is incredible and my view on that won’t change even if Sunderland knock us out of the playoffs. Even to be in them, from where we were, is beyond my wildest dreams.

Whatever happens, I’m really looking forward to next season.

 

[Sick Boy]

Course you don't!
But you didn't answer my question, what seasons did he have money?
Are you denying he worked on a shoestring for most of his time here?

Edit - Just seen youve edited your post, Gus and Vik, what 2.5 mil combined, last of the big spenders!

You don't agree Robins worked miracles on a shoestring? Fair enough.

So far in this thread I’ve said Robins did an exceptional job.

If you’re just going to make up opinions for me, I’m not going to bother.

 

[Sick Boy]

In fairness they cost a combined 2.2 mill , up until last season we operated on such a Tight budget compared to many in this league , the sale of these players allowed us to become a much better club in terms of spending power and now player value

Yes I know, the recruitment was excellent for the limited budget that we had. Same goes for the couple of seasons we had in League One and how well that money got spent.

Even now though, I imagine our wage budget is still relatively low compared to the others in the top 6.

 

[WestEndAgro]

Just checked back on my comments, glad to see i wasn't bed wetting like the majority

 

[Cally Fedora]

Some seasons Robins had money. Some he didn’t. He took us from the worst position we’ve probably ever been in to the point where Lampard inherited a squad capable of finishing 5th with just Grimes added in. I’m not really sure why done are so determined to belittle that achievement. It needed freshening up. It needed new coaches. But what Robins did was amazing.

 

[covcity4life]

So far in this thread I’ve said Robins did an exceptional job.

If you’re just going to make up opinions for me, I’m not going to bother.

He keeps saying people dog at robins to strengthen his argument but never posts evidence of it

I don't think I see many robins digs on here. Most people rightfully love him

 

[Chris1987]

Robins did an exceptional job in the most difficult of circumstances.
Lampard has improved players and moved things forward in a very positive manner which hopefully continues.
The change was needed in my opinion and the contribution of the coaching team which came in shouldn't be underestimated.
There's no need to belittle the jobs done by either manager.