mkdons.com catches up with Karl Robinson following the reveal of the 2016/17 fixtures and playing kits...
On start to the 2016/17 season...
It’s a great, challenging start to the season. We have to go into these first few games and respect the opposition and the division. We played Shrewsbury away a few years ago and got a draw, which we weren’t overly happy with on the day. We’ll be coming up against a better Shrewsbury side than we did back then. The next two games are then against two of the play-off teams from last season. We obviously want to get off to a good start and historically we do make good starts but remember Wigan had a tough start to the season last year and they went on and won it. The season is a marathon, not a sprint.
On strength of opposition in Sky Bet League One...
From my perspective, even though we’ve come down a league, there are a lot of big games. Some people may feel this season will be less exciting than last but there are some big teams here and there will be some real tough challenges and tests. Every season throws up a different challenge and we’re all extremely looking forward to it.
On the Club’s focus heading into the new campaign...
We’re looking at this season as a fresh start. It’s the building of something new and hopefully special. We’re only looking forward. Everyone has come back really refreshed. Having chatted to the Chairman, there is a real positivity about the building. The buzz around the place is as positive as I’ve ever seen it, off the back of one of the most difficult seasons we’ve had. I feel the best I’ve ever felt as a manager and I’m sure Richie and the players will too, on the back of a season where we learnt a lot.
On progress in the transfer market...
The season doesn’t start for almost seven weeks. It’s all well and good saying we need to sign players but we need to sign the right ones. We’ve still got an awful lot of work to do but we’re well and truly and excited by the challenge. With the players we’re speaking to, if we can get them here then we’ll have one of the strongest squads I’ve had in League One.
On lack of loan market this season...
The beauty for me, in the first month of the season, is we are coming up against good teams and that’ll help us in terms of the transfer market – we can really assess where we are at and what we’ll need before the window shuts. If we had played certain teams early in the season, win them and go into September thinking the garden is rosy and green, then if things go wrong after the window is shut you can’t change it.
On AFC Wimbledon...
The animosity felt towards us is something that is unlikely to ever change but the reality is we now have two strong football clubs in League One. I know it’s a game everyone is going to build up. We will want to win because I know how important it is to the fans. We will show respect to them and I’m sure they will show respect to us. However, we have to make sure we focus on, not just AFC, but all the games this season. There are some wonderful teams.
On the 2016/17 kits...
I think the kits are outstanding. One of the first things I did when looking at the fixture list was see when we’d first be able to wear the black kit.
It’s a great, challenging start to the season. We have to go into these first few games and respect the opposition and the division. We played Shrewsbury away a few years ago and got a draw, which we weren’t overly happy with on the day. We’ll be coming up against a better Shrewsbury side than we did back then. The next two games are then against two of the play-off teams from last season. We obviously want to get off to a good start and historically we do make good starts but remember Wigan had a tough start to the season last year and they went on and won it. The season is a marathon, not a sprint.
On strength of opposition in Sky Bet League One...
From my perspective, even though we’ve come down a league, there are a lot of big games. Some people may feel this season will be less exciting than last but there are some big teams here and there will be some real tough challenges and tests. Every season throws up a different challenge and we’re all extremely looking forward to it.
On the Club’s focus heading into the new campaign...
We’re looking at this season as a fresh start. It’s the building of something new and hopefully special. We’re only looking forward. Everyone has come back really refreshed. Having chatted to the Chairman, there is a real positivity about the building. The buzz around the place is as positive as I’ve ever seen it, off the back of one of the most difficult seasons we’ve had. I feel the best I’ve ever felt as a manager and I’m sure Richie and the players will too, on the back of a season where we learnt a lot.
On progress in the transfer market...
The season doesn’t start for almost seven weeks. It’s all well and good saying we need to sign players but we need to sign the right ones. We’ve still got an awful lot of work to do but we’re well and truly and excited by the challenge. With the players we’re speaking to, if we can get them here then we’ll have one of the strongest squads I’ve had in League One.
On lack of loan market this season...
The beauty for me, in the first month of the season, is we are coming up against good teams and that’ll help us in terms of the transfer market – we can really assess where we are at and what we’ll need before the window shuts. If we had played certain teams early in the season, win them and go into September thinking the garden is rosy and green, then if things go wrong after the window is shut you can’t change it.
On AFC Wimbledon...
The animosity felt towards us is something that is unlikely to ever change but the reality is we now have two strong football clubs in League One. I know it’s a game everyone is going to build up. We will want to win because I know how important it is to the fans. We will show respect to them and I’m sure they will show respect to us. However, we have to make sure we focus on, not just AFC, but all the games this season. There are some wonderful teams.
On the 2016/17 kits...
I think the kits are outstanding. One of the first things I did when looking at the fixture list was see when we’d first be able to wear the black kit.
