The Karl Robinson Canonisation thread

Are you ready to join the Church of the One True Savior of Charlton Athletic?
Are you ready to get down on your knees and put your faith in the (mouth) Almighty?
Doubters, read on...

http://www.cityam.com/275831/karl-robinson-ive-brought-culture-back-charlton

Karl Robinson: I've brought the culture back to Charlton

This time last year, the prospect of facing up to a room full of committed fans in deep South London would have been met with understandable trepidation by a Charlton manager.

Yet the convivial atmosphere that greeted Karl Robinson and assistant Lee Bowyer at a supporters’ meeting in Bromley last month demonstrated the mood change that the 37-year-old has presided over at the Valley.

Two weeks before Robinson took charge in November 2016 some Addicks fans travelled to Belgium to protest the Club's still widely unpopular owner Roland Duchatelet. Charlton were on a downward trajectory that showed little sign of turning. The club’s exposure outside the Valley came almost exclusively through the fans’ imaginative and impassioned protests.

But the laughs between Robinson and supporters in a two-hour meeting at a Royal British Legion hall in Petts Wood portrayed a fanbase that had begun to enjoy following their team again.

And there’s been plenty to enjoy this season: Charlton are third in League One with games in hand after Robinson was given licence to dictate pre-season preparations.

“It needed a big shake-up,” he told City A.M. “Cosmetically to the building; staff needed changing; demands on the players; scheduling for the players. And from an organisation point of view objective and goal-setting.”

The scorched earth approach extended to the squad. Out went footballers sourced through Duchatelet’s network of minor European clubs and in came those Robinson describes as “honest players”.

“Players with energy,” he continues. “Who could cope with the physical demands of League One, who understood the travelling involved, the venues we’re going to.”

For a typically meticulous modern manager — drone technology, statistics and a wealth of video analysis are all valued tools — it’s the amorphous concept of “honesty” that Robinson often refers to when discussing Charlton.

Robinson closed the supporters’ meeting by recounting a phone call he made before accepting the job to former Addicks boss Lennie Lawrence who told him it was a “great club” because “its people were honest”.

That explains why, rather than counter his own relative youth with an experienced assistant, he chose former England midfielder and Charlton trainee Lee Bowyer, 40, and long-standing captain Johnnie Jackson, 35, as his No2 and coach respectively.

“You need people who have lived it, loved it,” says Robinson.

“Lee did from a very young age. Johnnie Jackson’s been through the mire with this club, from the successful era under Chris Powell to the disconnection to hopefully now the reconnection, or the rebirth, or the resurrection

“One thing Jacko said to me which stuck was: ‘Be honest with them’. The first time I met Bow [Bowyer] he said: ‘It’s real, this club’. Those things resonated very quickly.”

Robinson remains one of the youngest bosses working in English football, yet has seven years’ experience, one promotion with MK Dons and a reputation for passing football. But he does not expect to attract the eye of Premier League clubs whose attitude towards English managers he questions.

"People talk about [Marco] Silva at Watford," he says.

"What's he done that Eddie Howe's not done? He got relegated [with Hull]. It's amazing how he's this big top manager now he's got Watford into the top 10. Didn't Eddie do that?"

Instead, he has his sights set on managing abroad in the future.

“I’ve visited Barcelona, Real Madrid, Malaga, Marseille, Bilbao — which I loved," says Robinson.

“What fascinated me with Bilbao was the historically Basque ethos. What you find when you went to watch them work was a team that had identified a DNA. Clubs should have their own DNA. From an eight-year-old to a 35-year-old, they should all look the same.

“Why are Bilbao successful? They work in cycles. This constant revolving wheel that allows them to compete."

South east London might not quite possess the same fierce sense of regional identity as the Basque Country but Robinson would have struggled to find more fertile ground to put his ideas into practice.

Catford-born Charlton academy graduate Joe Gomez, now at Liverpool, starred for England against Brazil this week, while fellow Three Lions newcomers Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham both hail from nearby areas of the capital.

Charlton’s academy was ranked the fourth most productive in the country last year and now counts England Under-20 World Cup winner Ezri Konsa as a key member of Robinson’s rejuvenated side.

“Hopefully, I’ve brought the culture back to what we are,” says Robinson.

“I’ve brought the culture closer to the academy. When you watch the academy, they play with energy, with high ball pressing, through the thirds quickly and aggressively.

“That should be the way the first team looks. What you’re doing then is opening the pathways for these young players and, in doing so, associating with the fans who come and watch.”

Robinson’s discussion with fans last month suggests that connection is growing. And if the trajectory continues, protests may be replaced by something more positive in the wider world’s association with Charlton too.


So there you have it. Under Karl Robinson Charlton are the Bilbao of South East London.
(only without the fierce sense of regional identity apparently )

On Saturday at half time Karl Robinson will feed the 5,000 inside the Valley with five loaves and two fishes - much more satisfying than the cross-bar challenge.
All in a day's work for the man who gave the Charlton fans their team back, and has now given the Club it's Culture back.

Halelujah, Praise Him!

 

Isn’t mould a culture?

 

KR talks like he has read the Mike Bassett How To Be A Manager guide. Chapter 1 - get up the fans arse.

Far better to stay low key, like Lennie & Curbs did, and win football matches & promotion

 

To be fair, he has generated a feel-good factor. I'm sure he's well aware how quickly it could all fall apart, but he's put his head above the parapet, and I respect that. Now he has to deliver.

 

I liked Robinson's comments last week about that fraud Tony Watt - “he didn’t make the team better” and thinks he should be at a big club.

 

Well, if he finds one that wants him he can go there, but until then he'll have to make do with minnows.

 

Give it a rest. We are third in the table, Robinson has changed the Club around. Better coaches, better sports sciences, better fitness, better attitude from the players better players. Weeded out the football mercenaries. Why the constant carping about him.

 

Different strokes for different folks......they did things their way, he’s doing things his way.
At the moment things are going well.....why are you pissing on the fireworks mate?

 

"Please accept my resignation. I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member" Groucho Marx (1959)

"Please accept my distaste for St. Robinson. I don't care to like any Manager that is willing to work for and promote [the competence of] the Belgian Mafia" AllHell (2016)

 

Because KR has sung the Regime’s tunes in the past.

 

Just like Wenger @ Arsenal, Gobinson's work as Manager of CAFC has been fine...... as an apologist for 'The Regime' his work has been (as I said above) distasteful.

His 'Wenger impersonation' during post match interviews has always been mightily impressive.... refs are always against Charlton because we are seen as a 'Big Club' in L1 but he forgets that our stadium is far too big for us while we are under the current ownership.

 

Because he is about as genuine as a nine bob note. Even Meire lies more convincingly.
Karl Robinson is not the Messiah, he's just another Duchatelet stooge.

He's doing well at the moment, that is fine. But claiming that he has already restored everything that the Club has lost since 2014 is just ridiculous and insulting.
30 points from 15 games and he thinks he's the best manager we ever had.

 

To be fair Lardi he has always held a very high opinion of himself even when at MK

 

Let’s not forget that KR told us “the President” had given him an unbelievable budget last summer. He also criticised the protests.

 

I've got used to his silly waffle, and the fact that his gob runs away with him at times. He deserves genuine credit for getting Bowyer and Jacko alongside him, either of whom would make a good replacement.
"I mean that most sincerely"- Hughie Green.

 

Isn't Hughie Green now politically incorrect?

 

A friend of mine presented him with a cabbage once.
"Thank you very much", was his witty rejoinder.
A true story.

 

Maybe at one time he did sidle up to them a bit, after all, they had an appalling record of firing managers so no doubt anyone would have felt the need to get on their right side. I’m definitely not aware of him being OTT with his comments and indeed he has without doubt changed his tune considerably now that he’s become more confident with his position.
He has taken on the stance of most of the staff around Sparrows Lane and The Valley, and that is not to say anything bad about their “bosses” but at the same time not to say anything good either.......which is a subtle way of saying “No comment” whilst turning ones head to one side and staring at the ground.
Sadly the Parkes have taken a completely different tack......which may yet come back and bite them in the arse.
Always liked them for many years but I’m finding it impossible to fathom out their take on the regime which has resulted in me falling out with them after 20 odd years of friendship......and that really hurts.
Yet another classic example of what this shyte regime has done to my club and a good and treasured friendship.....it’s like a civil war scenario, very very sad.
The Valley has been toxic for way too long and needs decontaminating ASAP!

 

Great post @Mr Sitter

I was within 10 feet of Sue Parkes at Peterborough away last season, contrary to what you read on ITTV at the time from fans who were not there, Mrs Parkes openly incited trouble with hand gestures and mock laughter after we had just *paid* to watch a disgusting performance.

Mrs Parkes and her son may have been quiet this season, but they won’t ever be welcomed back into the fold.