Western Sydney boss Carl Robinson has been sacked as coach of the Wanderers just seven games into the A-League Men season.
Robinson’s last match in charge of the Wanderers was their dismal 3-0 loss to the Brisbane Roar on Saturday night and his tenure finished with a win rate of just 30 per cent from 33 games.
The Wanderers are one spot off bottom place on the ALM table and have just one win in 2021-22 – a fortuitous 2-0 victory over the Wellington Phoenix.
Robinson, who left Newcastle to oversee a rebuild of the Wanderers in October 2020, has been unable to improve the club’s fortunes despite being given the support of the club’s hierarchy and autonomy over hiring and firing.
The Welshman was backed in the transfer market and brought in Israel international Tomer Hemed, Rhys Williams and former Premier League midfielder Jack Rodwell to the club.
But even with free rein over the football department and a team glittering with talent, the 45-year-old has struggled to effectively implement a succinct and coherent game plan.
That was best exhibited when his side was dumped out of the FFA Cup by part-timers APIA Leichhardt in December.
In a brief statement, the club said: “The Wanderers would like to thank Carl for his time at the club over the last one-and-half seasons and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
“The club will shortly make an announcement regarding the head coach position for the rest of the season.”
The appointment of Robinson’s long-term replacement will be a crucial one for the direction of the Wanderers amid a backdrop of falling attendances and a supporter base tinged with apathy.
Not since Tony Popovic left the club in 2017 have they made the finals and those successive failures hint at ingrained issues for the Wanderers which were alluded to in December last year after Robinson’s side suffered 2-0 loss to the Central Coast. .
The club’s former A-League Women coach Dean Heffernan claimed owner Paul Lederer was oblivious to the “toxic environment” festering under the stewardship of chief executive John Tsatsimas.
The most likely replacement – in the short team at least – will be Gary van Egmond, who was appointed as Robinson’s assistant coach prior to Christmas.
Van Egmond is likely to take charge of Wednesday’s home game with Perth.
© AAP
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