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Karl Robinson must stay - because every other Oxford manager is a disaster

Be it tangible interest, a power-play or a genuine falling between the communications space-time continuum that is Thailand, Blackpool's moves to tempt Karl Robinson to the seaside definitely set minds thinking to the prospect of losing the man guiding Oxford's most convincing attempt in 20 years of a return to the Championship.

For much of his time Robinson has split opinion among Oxford fans - evident again in the mutterings during a stumbling start to the new season. For what's its worth, I'm a Robinson fan - I like the way his teams play passing football, but with a hint of devil in it often missing from the purists efforts - but was never concerned about the Blackpool approach. Why swap for a mid-table side with nothing to play for when he has a free hit at Oxford. United are well-placed for a tilt for the play-offs that can only enhance his reputation (or even get him into the Championship!) - and if we miss out, it will all - not unreasonably - be blamed on the late sale of Baptiste and Fosu.

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But even if you are not a fan of Robinson, you want him to stay. Why? Because Oxford have an unerring ability to pick a dud with every other managerial appointment. Yes all teams do this to some extent or another, but most will occasionally break the pattern and follow good with better, or bad with worse. But ever since Oxford have moved to the Kassam, as night follows day, so good things follow with bad.

So when Mark Wright brought in a new era at the Kassam with a short-lived presence on the touchline, he was replaced with the stability of Ian Atkins. For some my argument my fall down at the first hurdle - these may not have been halcyon days in playing style (I think he once lined up with five centre backs in the same team) - but it was working and by Christmas a return to League 1 was on the cards.

But Atkins fell out with Kassam, and when Graham Rix took over, so Oxford fell out of the play-offs. Rix left midway through the following season with a win  ratio of 20% - even lower than David Kemp - which tells its own story.

Just when it seemed United would opt for the underwhelming Chris Turner, in walked Argentinean legend Ramon Diaz. Never was League 2 mid-table obscurity achieved with so much style, intrigue and surreality.

Of course it could never last, and Kassam opted for the antidote of seemingly the most British manager imaginable. It was never clear to me why Brian Talbot should be the man to turn Oxford United around. And he wasn't.

So time for a positive again, and nothing could provide an upsurge spirits as the return of the Bald Eagle. Relegation out of the league, a failed play-off bid and woeful start to our second season in the conference is hardly stellar Smith. But this is Jim Smith we are talking about - just him being in the dug-out was enough (and for half a season he made me believe Carl Pettefer and Rob Duffy were the answer)

You know the pattern by now. Darren Patterson followed. I don't remember much about his year in charge - which probably is its own epitaph.

Back to the good, and Chris Wilder - the man who rescued Oxford from their Conference hell. Feisty yes, but definitely what we needed.

He left in a very Ian Atkins type-way - joining a club it wasn't immediately obvious there much reason to other than to get away from Oxofd - and fair play to his successor Gary Waddock, he joined in a very Graham Rix way. A charitable view would be his hands were tied and in his short tenure he brought in Danny Hylton. But that could never outweigh the releasing of Beano and a lose ratio of 87.5%.

Back to the good - and the best of the lot in my opinion - Michael Appleton. Kemar Roofe, promotion and most short-sleeved bouncer at a wedding look at Wembley.

Robinson was followed by Gary Monk's best friend Pep Clotet. That short-lived experiment made a free-scoring midfielder out of Josh Ruffels, but a side with a remarkable tendency to go three down inside 20 minutes.

And so we turned to Karl Robinson. Enjoy him while he is here. We know we will have to wait til the one after him before its good again.

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