Robinson undeterred by Latics challenge

ATHLETIC manager Stephen Robinson

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INSIDE Stephen Robinson's car, parked in its designated spot close to Athletic's main entrance, hang several shirts.

He's been living out of a suitcase for a month, travelling between France, Glasgow, Belfast, Majorca and, more recently, a hotel in Ashton.

Athletic's sixth manager in 17 months never expected to be jet-setting quite this much.

Reflecting on an unforgettable Euro 16 tournament as Northern Ireland's first-team coach with his family on a brief holiday in Jimmy Nicholl's apartment in the Balearics, two-jobs Robinson took a call that would make his life even more complicated.

Sean O'Driscoll - now a key figure at SportsDirect.com Park, effectively operating as a director of football - asked him to come in for talks over becoming the club's new boss.

That is, a club operating with hardly any players, with pre-season virtually under way, on a modest budget and with less job security than a modern-day political party leader.

None of this put off Robinson from taking the plunge.

DOOR

"If I was worried about it, I wouldn't have taken the job," said the 41-year-old, when asked about the revolving door that has seen managers come and go at an unprecedented rate.

"I didn't apply for the Oldham job. I got a 'phone call from Sean asking, would I come for talks.

"I spoke to (Northern Ireland manager) Michael O'Neill and (Motherwell manager) Mark McGhee and they both said, 'it's a fantastic opportunity - go and speak to them'.

"I came with the intention of listening. I went away wanting the job."

It had been a miserable summer for Athletic. John Sheridan jumped ship for Notts County and Steve Evans bailed at the last moment, leaving the manager hunt seemingly in chaos. Key men, goalkeeper Joel Coleman, skipper Liam Kelly and striker Jonathan Forte, left for Huddersfield, Leyton Orient and Meadow Lane respectively as the squad was denuded of all its experience.

Supporters considered an abyss of hope and there was talk of season tickets being cancelled.

Robinson was undeterred. His view is that a strong back-room team possesses all the know-how necessary to build a competitive squad from scratch ­- an accelerated process that started even before his official unveiling.

"When you inherit a club, you usually inherit a lot of players. I have done the opposite," added Robinson, who quit as Motherwell assistant and with Northern Ireland to take on the job.

"On the first day, I had seven contracted players and three kids. But it does give you the chance to bring in your own players, albeit on a limited budget.

"I spoke to the chairman Simon (Corney) and knew it would be hard to bring in players. But we have good people around us and that is something I insisted on, to have Sean O'Driscoll here and to have Ian Baraclough, Those guarantees were made and have been kept.

"There is a lot of experience at this level and Lee Turnbull has been immense in terms of his contacts and what he has brought.

"We had 17 trialists when I walked in the door. We haven't stood still. My contract took three days to get over the line due to solicitors, but in that time we were working away."

Robinson offers huge credit to McGhee at Motherwell ("he came in as manager, stuck by me and gave me a complete free reign at the club . . . we went from second-bottom to fifth in the league") and O'Neill ("I can never repay him") for shaping his managerial philosophy.

As a former player at Bournemouth and Luton, he is under no illusions about the restrictions he faces and knows exactly what makes supporters tick.

"We can't spend £10,000 a week on a player," he said. "We have certain players we can pay more to and try to sprinkle a wee bit of stardust on the whole thing.

SOLID

"We have to look for boys who have played regular football and who will enhance Oldham.

"Our players can't be bought in from Premier League clubs. We have to get good, solid players who want to play for Oldham and who have that work ethic and desire to keep improving.

"We need hungry players to try to excite the fans again. Anywhere I have ever been - like Bournemouth, Luton and up at Motherwell - the fans want to see energy, people closing down, players who will run.

"The fans pay good money to watch football. We are not always going to have the best quality in the world, but we can promise them that they will give everything for that shirt."

Robinson knows there are no guarantees, but he is well-versed in success at clubs of similar standing.

Just don't mention that carbon footprint.