Stoke City Will Have To Give Mark Robins Time – Former Midfielder | OneFootball

Alex Burstow/Getty Images

Former midfielder Andy Reid insists Stoke City boss Mark Robins needs to be given time and backing at the club, following the Potters’ 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in the Championship on Tuesday.

Robins’ team, moved to 20th in the Championship after they slumped to a home defeat against a Boro side who had been winless in their last five games in the league.

The hosts’ only goal was scored by Bae Jun-ho to equalise the game before half-time; the visitors then scored two more in the second half and put the game out of reach for Robins’ side.

Robins was appointed as the Potters’ manager in January, replacing Narcis Pelach, when the team were sitting in 18th position in the league table.

Form has been mixed and Stoke have not climbed the league table in the manner which they hoped.

Reid though is of the view that the club must give Robins time and support to bring players in and build the team, as he believes the boss understands players and knows how to develop them.

He added that given the way there has been constant change at Stoke, he is curious about what strategy the Potters will decide to take.

“What they are going to have to do is give Mark Robins the time and the backing to bring in players. He knows players, he knows how to develop players”, Reid told BBC’s Football Daily podcast (30:15).

“What will be the strategy at Stoke is what I’m interested in. It has been so bitty, hasn’t it?

“Different managers bring in a few players and the next manager comes in and they don’t like those players and then the cycle starts again and they haven’t been able to get it right”, he added.

The Potters have only won two of their ten league games under Robins and are only five points above the relegation zone in the Championship, but another managerial change for Stoke now looks unlikely.

Following two consecutive defeats in the league, Robins’ team will welcome ninth-placed Watford, who have won just twice in their previous five games, at the weekend.

Despite having the third worst home record in the league, the Potters will be hoping that their next game will be different from the 3-0 defeat the last time both teams faced each other in the league.

A positive for Robins’ side though is that the loss to Middlesbrough was their first at home for five games, something which may point to some solidity at the bet365.