Croydon appoint Robbins ahead of European footballer

Monday 22nd June 2009

CROYDON chairman Dickson Gill has revealed that he’s appointed Mike Robbins as his new manager - ahead of a Lithuanian superstar that has played in numerous UEFA Cup games, writes Stephen McCartney.

Former Tunbridge Wells boss Robbins, 36, who resides in Ashford, was unveiled as Tony Beckingham’s replacement late last night.

The Croydon Sports Arena club switched from the Kent League into the Combined Counties League towards the end of last week, and it was expected that the Surrey outfit would appoint someone closer to home.

But Mr Gill has appointed someone with a good pedigree. Robbins is an UEFA B Licensed coach, who is an ex-Royal Engineer and coached the Corps side during a three-year unbeaten spell.

He has coached at Barnstable Town, Tonbridge Angels, Ashford Town, Hythe Town and has managed Sussex County League side Rye United before moving to Tunbridge Wells, initially as reserve team manager before taking up the first team hot-seat just under two years ago.

And Mr Gill, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, admits guiding Tunbridge Wells towards the top of the Bulmers Cider Kent League before Christmas last year swung the job in Robbins’ favour.

“For a start, he’s a very confident young man and he’s very, very confident in his ideas and beliefs in what he wants to do in football and he really got me attached on that compared to a few of the other lads,” explained the chairman.

“Looking at his record last year, and not going too deep into it, he was doing well until the budget was cut so on those lines he had a good first half of the season. I’m sure he will do well for us.”

Croydon quit the Kent League due to the travelling involved, and Mr Gill voiced his concern that Robbins will be spending quite a lot of time commuting to matches.

“I asked him when he got interviewed and I phoned him back a second time and I asked him outright “do you think that is a problem?” because I’m not too keen on the idea of him travelling that far - and he said “No!”

“That was the only stumbling block but he’s ensured me that there isn’t one so there’s no reason for me to think otherwise.

“His job, wife and family are fully behind him.“

The chairman does, however, want Robbins to stay for the long-term, unlike the three managers who took charge of the team last season, including former Holmesdale boss Tony Beckingham, who brought the Kent League Cup to the club in his last game in charge of the club before moving to Sussex County League club Lingfield.

“I mean, I want long (serving) people there,” he said. “There’s no reason why I wanted Tony to go. I think Tony did a good job and I never really knew anything of Tony’s background. He came into it because he was doing well at Holmesdale and he left for whatever reason.

“We took him on and he said he was going to stay with us but for whatever reason he went.

Mr Gill confirmed that Robbins “has got the same budget” as Beckingham, and he insists that he will let his new man get on with his job.

“I’ve not given him any restrictions in saying he’s got to do this and got to do that,” said Mr Gill.

“It’s a level playing field. He will do it the way he wants to do it. He’s the manager and picks and plays who he wants and when he wants and what players he wants to bring in that’s entirely his choice.”

Mr Gill thanked www.kentishfootball.co.uk for generating the interest in the vacancy and confirmed that 13 managers applied for the job.

“Your website has opened up a lot of eyes for people who actually applied to me,” he said.

“I had thirteen applicants for this job, for what we never advertised, and I never bothered interviewing half of them because Mike inspired me the day I met him.

“The day I met him I more than less made my mind up. He’s done the step five level and we’re in that level and I’m a believer you have to get people for the level you’re in.

“I’ve had a guy, whose even played in the UEFA Cup and he’s played for his country 37 times and I didn’t even interview him.

“He’s played for Lithuania 57 times and 37 times in the UEFA Cup so there’s a good breed there but I haven’t even gone for him because I think he’s over qualified.

“I’ve picked Mike Robbins because it’s logic, because he (the Lithuanian) won’t have the training pitch like what we have, he will have a proper training pitch and he’ll have players that are professional.

“There’s no point having people like that - and there’s other people who have applied who are probably Ryman Premier level.”

Mr Gill added: “There’s no point having people like that. Mike Robbins came over so well, I might be right or wrong (to appoint him), I wouldn’t know - someone gave me a chance one time and that’s how I look at it.”

And Robbins is delighted to have fought of stiff competition to land the job.

“It’s a club steeped in history,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk . “It’s played more of it’s football at a more senior level of football than it is now so ultimately over the next couple of years that’s the ambition of both the chairman and myself.”

Robbins, however, doesn’t see the extra travelling a problem, because he works inside the M25.

“When I managed in the Sussex County League with Rye, I used to make a day of all the Saturdays and I used to really enjoy the Saturday’s and make them big days out,” he said.

“I’m kind of going down that route and encourage all my family who live over in Watford, the Hertfordshire area to meet us for away trips etc.

“I already work in south east London, near Lewisham, so I’m halfway there already.”

Robbins has already been on the phone to discuss next season’s Combined Counties League campaign with his new squad.

“I’ve spoken to fifteen players already from last season’s Croydon squad,” he said. “The travelling is not an issue, none of them are worried with the new league.

“One or two of them have been tapped up by Kent League managers because they’re big names in the Kent League.

“You’ve got other managers who have moved up division’s around us who are looking to pinch a couple as well - but that’s football.”

When asked about the standard of the Combined Counties League, Robbins added: “Generally, I believe that the footballing sides do well in that division, obviously you have to learn to mix it but I believe there’s more good pitches than bad pitches as well.”

But he inherits a side that play attractive football.

“When I took over at Tunbridge Wells it was quite the opposite, they were down in the dumps and the only was up,” he explained.

“However, here I’m following already a couple of legends in Tony (Beckingham) and Ken (Thurgood) and it will be slightly different. In their six months what they achieved, (I’ve got) to keep the momentum that they’ve got.”

Croydon have spent three season’s in the Kent League and at least one in the Combined Counties League and Robbins feels this is the club that can achieve his own personal ambitions.

“We’ve specifically gone out of our way to not put pressure on ourselves,” he said.

“I know for a fact Dickson’s took a pop on me because of my ambition. I want to manage in the Ryman League and above and I’ve spoken to a lot of chairman since I left Tunbridge Wells and the only way you’re going to manage in the Ryman League, unless you’re very special, is you have to get into it.

“The teams that take a manager from this level is very few and far between.

“In five years time I know what I want to be and what I want to be achieving and I hope I can do that at Croydon.”

Meanwhile, Robbins would like to hear from Kent clubs that would like to play Croydon in pre-season friendlies on Saturday 11th and Saturday 18th July.

Croydon report back to pre-season training at Croydon Sports Arena at 7:30pm next Tuesday, 30th June and all players are welcome to attend.

Anyone interested in both requests can contact Mike on 07971 150 925. Please mention that you read this article on www.kentishfootball.co.uk when making contact.

Visit Croydon's website: www.croydon-fc.co.uk