When Jürgen Klopp announced in January that he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, it wasn’t just the news that seemed strange. The shock and widening of public eyes was due in part to the fact that the shelf life of executives is shorter than ever, so rarely does anyone act on their own terms.
Since Klopp notified the Liverpool hierarchy of his intention to resign last November, 27 managers in the top four leagues – almost a third of the staff – have been made redundant. Klopp has been on and off for eight-and-a-half years, longer than any current manager in the Premier League or EFL, and heir to that throne Pep Guardiola reached a similar untouchable point some time ago.
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The same goes for 54-year-old Mark Robins, who is third on the list. Last month Robins marked seven years into his second spell at Coventry City, marking the anniversary by playing against his former club Manchester United in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final, and there is a reason why fans are talking about him like Klopp and Guardiola. , in a divine light. Considering the challenges he has overcome and the battles he has won, Robins’ staying power is even more admirable.
Its success is the triumph of longevity and stability, two fingers up against short-termism and the volatility that follows the game. Michael Doyle, the Robins’ first signing last year and captain when he returned in 2017, said the achievements had been statuesque, but since then the Robins have led the team to a penalty shoot-out in the Premier League and now there is another Wembley. travel for pleasure.
Coventry will travel in droves again and a look at their attendance reflects the transformation under the Robins. He took the club out of League Two at the first attempt and revived the club’s pride, which had been damaged by off-field trauma: scorned owners, ground shares and broken relationships. Former chief executive Dave Boddy, who was involved in every step of the journey until his departure in January, recalls visits to Carlisle and Cambridge in 2017-18, when just over 6,000 fans flocked to the vast stadium grounds.
In February of the same season, they suffered three consecutive defeats against Forest Green, Accrington and Colchester, and secured a place in the play-offs on the final day after a 0-0 draw with Morecambe. Two weeks ago a record crowd of 30,232 packed the ground for victory against Leeds. “We’re averaging 25,000 spectators this season, the highest average attendance since 1971,” says Boddy. “This is the mountain we are climbing.”
In the age of the uncontested head coach, the Robins are certainly a dying breed. “In the old-fashioned managerial sense, he is completely in control of everything, and rightly so,” says Boddy. “He manages from the top down. That’s probably how he was brought up through the ranks at Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson managed Manchester United that way and although I’m not comparing the two, his approach to that is no different. He’s an excellent manager and an excellent player.” He is a tactician. [Viveash, Coventry’s assistant manager] “He is also extremely talented as a coach and player developer, making them the real deal and the complete package in many ways.”
On his first day back, Robins was horrified when a player arrived at the training ground eating toast a minute before the session was due to start at 10.30am. Those who worked with Robins describe how his professionalism and determination to raise standards helped fuel their rise. “There are no easy days,” says Coventry captain Liam Kelly, who joined the club from the fourth tier in 2017.
“Training is to a very high standard every day. You have to work hard and that has been one of the key components to the success of all the teams that have played over the last few seasons. The bar is set too high. The important thing is not to be satisfied with where we are, but to always want to go one step further.”
Coventry made their first FA Cup return to Wembley since Brian Kilcline, Keith Houchen, Steve Ogrizovic and others’ famous 3-2 win over Tottenham in the 1987 final (pictured). Are you looking for an omen? They’ve already overcome it, as in that famous run Sheffield Wednesday this season: Callum O’Hare scored twice in the 4-1 replay win in the fourth round after a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough; In 1987 Houchen set up a brace to contribute to Cyrille Regis’ goal in a 3-1 quarter-final win against the Owls in Sheffield. And John Sillett’s team faced a challenge on their way to victory Manchester United Houchen scored the only goal as the team – with an embattled manager on the bench – beat Alex Ferguson’s side 1-0. Erik ten Hag’s 2024 vintage is on our way tomorrow afternoon. protective sport
One key step that helped the Robins build bridges with a disinterested fan base was engaging with established fan clubs in surrounding towns and beyond by participating in monthly Q&A sessions. “We have a supporter group in London and we took the train there a few times after training,” says Boddy, admitting they may not always have the answers. “We had to roll with the punches and remember that actions speak louder than words. It’s not all roses and lights, but isn’t it about entering the difficult gardens?”
Coventry need a flawless finish to have any chance of qualifying for the play-offs for a second consecutive season and extend their year-long run of improvement under the Robins after finishing fifth last season. He rebuilt the team last summer after accepting the departures of Viktor Gyökeres and Gustavo Hamer, who the Robins believed would succeed at the top of the game, to Sporting and Sheffield United respectively. They’ve made progress off the field, too. The Ryton training base is being refurbished with the addition of medical facilities such as hyperbaric and cryotherapy chambers, and staffing levels have increased since the days when Robins had to moonlight as an administrator and peacemaker. Dr Claire-Marie Roberts started as performance director this year after almost a decade in the Premier League. “One of Mark’s strengths is that he always wants to keep it going,” Boddy says. “We knocked on the door last season and he has ambitions of becoming a Premier League manager.”
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Sunderland arrived in 2019 – the only known attempt from Coventry to reward the Robins – but turned down the chance to talk to them and signed a new contract. He can now look forward to his fourth trip to Wembley in seven years, another outing for fans to enjoy. “We gave them a special opportunity by being there; “Being in the national stadium against Manchester United doesn’t get any bigger than this,” says Robins. “We also have to carry a threat because otherwise we’re just going to sit there [passively] For 90 minutes.”
Robins admits that he is a serious and measured character. “He definitely does, but he’s also very fun and friendly, a big family man,” says Boddy. Robins scored the goal that was thought to keep Ferguson in his job in 1990 against Nottingham Forest in this competition, but he has zero chance of replaying the moment in his mind before Sunday.
The manager is more concerned about trying to beat United but stresses it is important for his players not to be fooled by the negativity surrounding Erik ten Hag’s side. “Punds around the football world talk cynically about what Manchester United are doing and how they are performing,” says Robins. “But the truth is they have the best players. Manchester United is the biggest club in the world. If you can’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t be playing.”