Mark Robins: Shock at Coventry City manager’s sacking

Lifelong Coventry supporter and BBC CWR sports activities editor Rob Gurney has just about seen all of it in his time overlaying and following the membership.

He says Robins leaving has as soon as once more illustrated the contrasting feelings being a fan and a journalist usually current.

“Am I gutted? After all. Am I stunned? Not within the least,” he stated.

“Soccer does not respect a supervisor’s historical past or status, however you might argue Mark Robins was a particular case.

“Sure, he left as soon as, beneath a cloud. However, since his return in March 2017, he is pulled the membership again from the brink.

“Profitable the EFL Trophy inside weeks of his return, immediately endeared him to Sky Blues followers once more.

“A direct return from League Two, after one other memorable Wembley journey, cemented that relationship nonetheless additional.

“Then we noticed the League One title secured throughout Covid, have been a missed penalty kick away from the Premier League, and most gut-wrenchingly of all, a toe-nail killed the best FA Cup comeback ever.

“Championship type tailed off, fully understandably, after the bodily and psychological exertions of that semi-final.”

Gurney added that the timing of that hangover was unlucky, given the membership’s pronounced public relations technique coming into this season.

“Then a really aggressive summer season advertising and marketing marketing campaign ‘Suppose Massive, Intention Excessive’ fuelled expectations of a promotion push, however a gradual begin, for the third season working, sealed Robins’ destiny.

“My notion is the back-to-back wins over Luton and Middlesbrough got here as an enormous inconvenience to proprietor/chairman Doug King, significantly the supporters’ response to Robins personally, within the face of going 2-0 down within the first of these.

“His, and his gamers, in-game administration, has been scrutinised in current weeks, though he’d appeared to have purchased himself slightly extra time.

“Now King has made the choice to dispense with the person many followers regard because the modern-day Jimmy Hill, his subsequent one might outline the Metropolis’s future for years to come back.”