'Blame me' says Robinson after poor A-league Wanderers start

Under pressure Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Carl Robinson takes responsibility for the A-League team's recent form.

Western Sydney Wanderers have had a poor start to their A-League Men's campaign. The mid-table team started the season with two draws, registered a win and then fell to first placed Macarthur this past weekend.

While this may not seem drastic at first glance, their sole win in Round 3 was accomplished in part due to a refereeing error, one that saw Football Australia apologize to the beaten team Wellington Phoenix earlier this week.

Moreover, the club's biggest failure occurred mid-week, when Wanderers lost 2-1 to semi-professional team APIA Leichhardt Tigers in the FFA Cup Round of 16.

This trend of disappointing results, accompanied with lacklustre performances, has lead to much dissatisfaction amongst fans and culminated with some supporters booing the players after the Wanderers loss in the last round. Supporters have also taken to social media, with the hashtag #RobinsonOut starting to make an appearance.

Speaking after the weekend's loss, Robinson addressed the supporter displeasure with his team and his managing, taking the blame:

“Supporters have got every right to be disappointed. I’m disappointed. The players are disappointed.

"But what I will say to you and to the supporters, I thought they were brilliant until the last 96th minute. They kept going and we need them, the players need them.

“Don’t blame the players, if you want to blame anyone, blame me. I am thick-skinned enough to do that. I understand football is a results-driven business.

"I will continue to work as hard as I can. If you do not do that there is something wrong with you as an individual.

"The one thing that people cannot do is criticize my work ethic and my will to win."

Robinson was appointed head coach of the Western Sydney club ahead of the 2020-21 season. The Welshman's first year at the club was marred by an inconsistent Wanderers who finished eight in the A-League.

Ahead of his second season he kept focusing on targeting younger players for Western Sydney, players that can grow into the nucleus of his team. When asked during that same press conference what his plan was going forward, Robinson said:

"To try to bring a number of youth players through. We talk about it all the time. I could go sign 16, 18 really old players, but I don't want to do that.

"I had that last year and it did not work. I want to try to get the nucleus and the core group of players in the age range that I want.

"To do that you have to be brave and I think I have done that. I've told the club that is what I want to do and play them but I also need to win.

"It is a results driven business. I am not naive enough to know to not expect a little bit of pressure or a bit of disappointment when results do not come. You accept it and you move on."

More than year into Robinson's tenure, the time allowed for being brave might be coming to an end. The club's performances have seemingly not improved and the fans are vocalizing their displeasure.

If the performance trends do not change, the pressure on Robinson will continue to mount. Regardless of his work ethic and his will to win, at some point the supporters will do what he asks: blame him. Some are already doing so and vocalizing to Robinson to accept this and move on.