Carl Robinson is the man tasked with leading Western Sydney Wanderers out of the doldrums, with the A-League club unveiling the former Newcastle mentor as their new head coach on Thursday.
The Wanderers received permission from Newcastle to approach Robinson, the Jets’ head coach, on Wednesday – two days after the Sydney club sacked Jean-Paul de Marigny.
On Thursday, Robinson officially departed the Jets and joined the Wanderers, with assistant Kenny Miller also moving from Newcastle to Western Sydney.
“Sometimes in football you get an opportunity too good to turn down,” Robinson said.
“This is a fantastic football club, a big club in the A-League and one that has set the foundations to be very successful.
“There is an expectation of winning that is clear and that is what I am here to do – have success on the pitch and create a pathway for our future players at the club.”
Former Wales international Robinson replaced Ernie Merrick at Newcastle on a three-and-a-half-year deal in February.
He quickly turned Newcastle’s form around, leading the Jets to six wins, three draws and one loss from 10 games, falling just short of the top six.
Robinson, 44, also coached MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps from 2013 to 2018 and will become Western Sydney’s fourth full-time coach in as many seasons as they look to recapture the spark of the club’s early days under Tony Popovic.
Inaugural coach Popovic resigned days before the start of the 2017-18 A-League season and the Wanderers haven’t made the finals since.
“Carl has a great track record both here and in the MLS, his knowledge and passion for the game is inspiring and he comes with a great attitude that will be well-received by our amazing members and fans,” Wanderers chief executive John Tsatsimas said.
“Once we realised Carl was a potential option we moved quickly to bring him in as we have had only highly positive reports on him as a coach and as a leader of men.”
Newcastle chief executive Lawrie McKinna conceded uncertainty around the Jets’ ownership – chairman Martin Lee is keen to sell – had contributed to Robinson looking elsewhere.
“There was an agreement in the contract which dictated that if any approaches were made for Carl over the course of his three-year deal, we had to notify him of the interest,” McKinna said.
“They asked for the chance to speak to the Wanderers, and due to the current circumstances at the club the situation developed.”
McKinna said the Jets had commenced a search for a new head coach and would provide updates “when new ownership is rubber stamped in the near future.”
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Well said Roberto.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
As an aside, I'd like to use this opportunity to express a particular personal opinion. I have some stats here which demonstrate just how important it is to Australian Football to have a successful A-League. You will note that many recent articles on Football on the Roar are about the Premier League and European football, which is fine, we all follow it and enjoy it, but of the 8 most recent articles put up, there is the grand sum of one comment. Yes, one. Why is that? Because the popularity and interest is there, but the distance often means that the emotional attachment can never be as high as following a local club. We need strong local clubs that people can become attached to. The decrease in the interest of the A-League over recent years is reflected in ratings, attendances, media attention but also comments here and in 442. We are at an all time low, and I'm not sure we have reached the bottom, but we need the A-League to get back up on that upwards trajectory, and we'll know it's in the right place when we start seeing comments here and 442 return strongly. A flourishing A-League and interest in such forums go hand in hand.
Griffo
Roar Guru
I wish Red Bull were interested. No concrete word they ever were. Shame, they’d be a good fit but like City, there would be some rebranding. We know what they bring - stability would go down well.
Rosario FC
Guest
Hard to take anything Carl says seriously, sorry Jets fans. He positioned himself as a messiah (on podcasts etc) & left like a thief in the night... can’t wait for that game in the new season anyway cause like it or not there’ll be feeling there. Just with the Jets finances I know once upon Red Bull was interested. Do they still lurk? I know one thing you won’t be short of a quid if they jump in. But they’ll “rebrand” everything. Which I’m sure we won’t like. Come start aleague Jets will be there. Good luck this coming from a Syd FC fan. PS we’ll see how long Robbo lasts at WSW
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Most sincerely - I really feel your pain Griffo. I have very mixed feelings about the appointment. I agree with your synopsis and therefore am happy he is at WSW but I'm unhappy with what has been left behind and the instability and uncertainty at the Jets. They were playing pretty well at the back end of the season too. Now it is a lottery all over again.
Griffo
Roar Guru
It might happen the world over - and is 'just football' - but still a bit hard to take, even with contract clauses. I mean: it was an easy thing to do, but was it the right thing to pursue? You can't knock someone for doing what is allowed, and the dire circumstances at the Jets, and look after yourself and career, but it also speaks there of something of 'seeing a project' through and loyalty that the coach themselves was not hesitant in verbally and publicly expecting others to agree to at the Jets... Carl said similar things when arriving in Newcastle as he has done at WSW around the work and development to do. Let's hope WSW sort themselves out internally and that bigger clubs here or elsewhere don't come knocking after a successful stint of games. He is a great coach and plans on our youth pathways were progressing. No doubt he has found an even better setup there. Long term he wants to manage Wales, and likely end up managing in the UK in not too distant future. But the local frustration at events over past few days, and the circumstances that led to them - well, that part of Sydney isn't too popular right now. Neither is Carl. Whilst I don't agree with completely cutting off ties with the club, I can understand those who do. Carl was a hope more than positive feeling that this season would produce something among ownership and economic issues. Taking away hope is far worse. I've been fairly flat because of it but from a certain point of view it is a sign I care, so there is that... We seem to be in a cycle at the negative end more often than not. Perhaps the pending new owner decision by FFA and APFCA should really keep in mind a single owner with shallow pockets and wafer-thin cashflow is really not a good fit for this club, given what has occurred before with Con and Tinkler (and now Martin Lee). Part community ownership, even as much as 50+1, might be worth a look. Not this time round given short notice and COVID unless the new owner/s are prepared to do something different. (I'm hopeful the new owner is already a consortium prepared to let in new parties at least...now that would be different!). At least this sorry saga has given the city some clarity around what is actually going on internally at the club, because it was very quiet for too long. There will be a Jets, or at least a Newcastle club. And hoping Lawrie McKinna is still at the helm but that will very much depend on who the new owners wish to bring in as CEO... ...but that is only a beginning, and not for the first time. After 15 years of meager funding and bust owners, the club has nothing to show: it rents it's training ground, offices, stadium; it has offloaded and onloaded its youth academy and women's team (mainly to Northern NSW Football) and to various parties and facilities over that time. Not to mention players and coaches and staff. Let's hope there is some stability this time round; that a decent financial base can be found so that some of the above can be offloaded from the rent column, such as training and a permanent home for the academy. Things that the WSW have brought online recently. That stability makes the Jets a good prospect for players to want to sign up here. Such a carrot and stability might keep the next Carl Robinson at the Jets longer.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
everything gets talked up these days. We have to sift through it and find what is worth believing! - and sometimes there isn't a lot.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I thought Laurie McKinna handled his press conference really well in the face of some very pointy and difficult questioning yesterday. I really hope they do find a decent owner with some money to invest.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
The Jets are broke (and that's before the prospect of another COVID impacted season on the horizon). The FFA is currently sifting through offers from four prospective buyers. Hopefully there is one solid one in there. They will need very deep pockets.
Waz
Roar Rookie
I’m not saying he will be a good/bad appointment – I’m commenting on the absurdity of the WSW statement that all they’ve heard is positive things …
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Waz, He did pretty well in Vancouver considering they are one of the lower spending clubs. I think it was Robinson that managed to lure Freddy Montero away from Seattle and he was a great asset. I wish we had more strikers like him in the A League...better to watch than Roy O'Donovan, Rierra, and a whole host of others down the seasons. Anyway, I'd rather have him than Aloisi or Muscat for that matter!
Waz
Roar Rookie
“ ... we have had only highly positive reports on him as a coach and as a leader of men” Err, then you’re not listening hard enough.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
hard to hold on to players when they receive offers that will set them up for future retirement without having to spend too long out there...been done time and time again.
Grem
Roar Rookie
In his short time in the A League he has shown that he could be a great coach (as Marco Kurtz showed at Adelaide over a longer period). I am disappointed for the Jets as they were playing good football and I was hoping they'd do well this year. Their fans will be gutted. Hopefully for them a new owner will be found and he will invest more in the club. The story of our football - hopefully! Having said that we need the Wanderers to improve and hopefully Robinson can finally be the coach they need - why didn't they fight harder to keep Duke? He was the heart of the club last year. A strong Wanderers will bring more spectators and if Newcastle can be reinvested in what a game that will be. As a supporter of our game I want to see both teams do well.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
i hardly class his half season at the jets as having a 'great track record here'. Speaking of the jets, there supporter base must be livid with this news plus the ownership issues.