What chance Robbo will be poached?

[Gowboy]

Can’t help but think that Robbo must be in the sights of some Chairmen in League One down south who may be looking for a change of manager. He has demonstrated that he can build a good team out of English based lower league players
and motivate them to perform. Our recruitment manager, Martin Foyle, also knows the English lower leagues. Should we be worried?

[LawSteelman]

If he continues to impress with us and by that I mean oversees us reach our second cup final of the season or even better, win the Cup then it absolutely stands to reason that other clubs will sit up and take notice of him. That is just the way it works in football and I wouldn't begrudge him that if he guides us to Cup success - he would forever be Sir Stephen Robinson in my mind if that comes to pass - but by the same token we could lose the Semi to Aberdeen or Kilmarnock (which would be a hammer blow btw, but as much if not more likely than us progressing )and we end the season in the bottom six in low key fashion and no one would really bat an eyelid over him.

I don't think we are in danger of losing him before the end of the season, put it that way.

[Handsome_Devil]

What LS said is spot on.

We should never worry about losing a manager because that means he'll have done a good job.

In Robinson's specific case, two things also play into our favour. Firstly, when you've failed once in England you can get another chance through work in Scotland but it has to be really outstanding. Our cups runs and midtable place - if they finish as they are - are good, very good in fact, but not outstanding. He'll need to either go one step further or keep up this level for years to tempt someone.

Secondly, the media image of us as a team of barbarians would make any of the bigger fish in Scotland think twice about moving for him - unless he does actually put something shiny in the cupboard.

Indeed, as of now he's probably still more likely to be sacked by us than leave of his own accord for bigger and better things, I would say.

[Wellup4it]

What LS said is spot on.

We should never worry about losing a manager because that means he'll have done a good job.

In Robinson's specific case, two things also play into our favour. Firstly, when you've failed once in England you can get another chance through work in Scotland but it has to be really outstanding. Our cups runs and midtable place - if they finish as they are - are good, very good in fact, but not outstanding. He'll need to either go one step further or keep up this level for years to tempt someone.

Secondly, the media image of us as a team of barbarians would make any of the bigger fish in Scotland think twice about moving for him - unless he does actually put something shiny in the cupboard.

Indeed, as of now he's probably still more likely to be sacked by us than leave of his own accord for bigger and better things, I would say.

Agree with your first point but not your second. If he was snapped up by one of the bigger fish in Scotland he'd immediately be hailed as a manager who likes to play good football. In the media world might is right.

[LawSteelman]

Agree with your first point but not your second. If he was snapped up by one of the bigger fish in Scotland he'd immediately be hailed as a manager who likes to play good football. In the media world might is right.

There is merit in that too and I guarantee you this, if he was manager of Aberdeen or even a Dundee United there is no way he and his team would have been subjected to the same level of vilification we got in the wake of the League Cup semi final win from the media. Obviously oily Brendan would still have chucked his tuppence worth in and his poodles would have fell at his feet, but there would not have been half the focus on the 'over physical' approach as we got.

[Handsome_Devil]

There is merit in that too and I guarantee you this, if he was manager of Aberdeen or even a Dundee United there is no way he and his team would have been subjected to the same level of vilification we got in the wake of the League Cup semi final win from the media. Obviously oily Brendan would still have chucked his tuppence worth in and his poodles would have fell at his feet, but there would not have been half the focus on the 'over physical' approach as we got.

Any team (other than Celtic) who had a player do what Bowman did, unpunished, in beating Rangers in a semi-final would get the same treatment.

And there's no way that any media would describe anyone, with our current style and level of physicality, as playing good football. You couldn't even begin to claim this team plays good football in an aesthetic sense.

To suggest otherwise is approaching Celtic levels of paranoia.

[LawSteelman]

Well without wanting into how easy on the eye (or not) our football is, there is absolutely no way that, Radio Scotland sportsound to give but one example would have demonised Aberdeen in the way they did us after the semi final. Fair enough, maybe that's not the best example seeing as that station and that programme in particular is basically an Aberdeen FC fanzine, but they are still a significant part of our media. I do not believe for one minute that had say, Adam Rooney had done what Bowman did in a match where Aberdeen beat Rangers then it would have received anywhere near the same scrutiny. Aberdeen would have been lauded for their battling qualities and the incident would barely have been mentioned.

My point in all this is that Aberdeen have significantly more clout in the media than we do and along with the rest of the city clubs, get far better press than we do and I don't see how anyone can dispute that.

[sieb1886]

No dispute from me on the Beeb Aberdeen Mafia scenario. However, I'll resist from fully commenting on the other stuff you guys have debated.
We are what we are; a combative, well-drilled ramshackle bunch of players who play with a desire to prove others wrong ... IMO.

[Wellup4it]

Any team (other than Celtic) who had a player do what Bowman did, unpunished, in beating Rangers in a semi-final would get the same treatment.

I've seen worse challenges go unmentioned this season. Morelos' challenge on Louis Moult, in the same game, was never given any publicity either. The media is very selective as to what it highlights and what it doesn't.

[Handsome_Devil]

That's because it was a Rangers player and our guy wasn't hurt. Dembele's shocker on mchugh largely got ignored in the cup final too in comparison to Kipre.

Sportsound is a fair example but when Aberdeen were a shambles (toaster gate etc) they got slaughtered in the national media, half the press still don't give Levein time of day etc.

The city papers with more space and resources will plug their teams more than the Motherwell Times can, that's obvious, but nationally I just don't see it. If there's a dirty sheep *******s bullying the gallant Rangers/Celtic angle to be taken, the major media will take it.