MARK ROBINS didn’t apply for the Huddersfield Town manager’s job – but he’s more than happy to have been handed it.
The 43-year-old has swapped a League I promotion push with Coventry for a Championship survival fight – but believes the long-term forecast for Huddersfield is highly encouraging.
Synergy was the buzz word as the man who kept Rotherham in League I and Barnsley in the Championship as well as turning around Coventry’s fortunes this season was officially introduced as Simon Grayson’s successor.
“Leaving Coventry is probably the most difficult professional decision I have ever had to make,” explained former striker Robins, who played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and later served Norwich, Leicester, Spanish side CD Ourense, Greece’s Panionios, Walsall, Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Burton Albion.
“They are a fantastic club, with good people behind the scenes, players who have been magnificent for me and outstanding fans.
“There is huge potential there but the council really need to support the club if they are to go forward.”
Robins, who leaves the Sky Blues eighth in their table and takes charge of a Town side 18th in the second tier and just three points above the drop zone, said he had received several approaches from other clubs since taking over a struggling Coventry side in September.
“They didn’t feel right, but this one did,” he explained.
“I didn’t apply for the Huddersfield job, but when I was told they had asked to talk to me, I expressed an interest in talking to them.
“I wanted to make a decision based on all the facts, so I went down to London to see the Coventry owner, and when permission was granted to talk to Huddersfield on Tuesday, I took in the second half of the FA Cup tie at Leicester then had very detailed discussions with the club on Wednesday.
“I left Coventry in the right way and I absolutely wish them all the best, but my focus is now on Huddersfield.
“My decision to come here is one I am comfortable with and I’m confident it’s the right one. I’ve been handed a great opportunity and it’s one I want to take, because the attraction of Huddersfield is huge.”
Robins continued: “As (Town chief executive) Nigel Clibbens has said, there is a synergy between what the club want and the way I work.
“Huddersfield Town are an exciting project and I have admired (chairman) Dean Hoyle from afar.
“I like how he has taken this club forward. There is still a lot to do, but an exciting time to be associated with them.
“There’s been a lot of investment – you see that as soon as you arrive at the training ground, where work is ongoing, and there’s also been a lot of recruitment in the squad.
“There are big changes going in the game with the financial fair play rules and the Elite Player Performance Plan.
“A lot of work is going into achieving category two status for the academy under the EPPP, and this club realises the need to develop.
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“Canalside will become an excellent facility and it has a slightly different feel to others of its kind because of the public access element.
“There is a membership who use the facilities, and I like that because it means players will have that contact with the public.
“Football clubs need to develop in many aspects – their youth system, facilities, recruitment, performance and the analysis of it. All those things are fundamental building blocks.
“There is the potential for any club to get to a higher level, but they have to do things in the right way, and there are no quick fixes.
“You have to have a coherent plan and everyone has to stick to it. You may deviate slightly from time to time, but there is always a point you come back to.
“Within that framework, each clubs have different individual challenges. You have to understand those and I think this club do, and also know how they want to meet them.”
Of course in the short term, Robins must keep Town in the Championship, with the first of their 15 remaining league games at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
“I’ve been in similar situations in the past,” said Robins.
“We have to pick up enough points to climb the table and get away from where we are at the moment. We always have to keep trying to catch the team who are immediately in front of us.
“I watched the second half of Tuesday’s game and met the players yesterday.
“It was evident at Leicester that there are some promising young players and some very good older ones, and the experienced heads must help nurture the younger lads.
“We have some players to come back from injuries, and there is scope to add to the squad if I feel we need to.”
