Robins demands response in spite of taking long-term view

Mark Robins appreciates that as much as anyone, especially after a recent slump in form that culminated in a first-half display during the weekend defeat to Blackpool that left the Huddersfield Town manager seething.

The Terriers chief knows a response is needed tonight when Middlesbrough visit the John Smith’s Stadium.

That said, though, when The Yorkshire Post asks Robins how he feels the season has gone as a whole for the Yorkshire club, he admits to being satisfied with the general level of progress that has been made.

“It is very difficult for me to say the season has been very good because of the run we have been on lately,” said the Town manager. “But we have done pretty well, I have to say that.

“The plan is a good plan and the right thing to do for this club. Instantaneous success in terms of getting into the top six was not going to come this year.

“I am as guilty as anyone of wanting to get that success now. Being impatient, if you like.

“We are competing with these big-spending teams and, generally, have done pretty well. We are, though, starting to get frustrated because we want to be higher and better than we are right now.

“The problem is we are not really there yet.”

For all the disappointment of the past week and defeats to both Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool, Town sit 16th in the Championship. They are 12 points clear of the relegation zone with nine games remaining and 15 points adrift of the play-offs.

A look back to last season –when with three games to go Town could be found in the bottom three – underlines what progress has been made this term. This time in 2012, Simon Grayson’s Town were suffering a worrying wobble in form en route to what would eventually be promotion from League One via the play-offs.

This gradual improvement is very much in tune with the thinking of the Huddersfield hierarchy and if that progress is to be continued next season then clearly the club will have to recruit well.

Fresh from equalling the club’s transfer record with the £1.2m capture of Nahki Wells, Robins is ready to use whatever funding is available wisely.

He said: “We can recruit well in the summer. There won’t be a massive influx of players. There will be some leaving and two, maybe three, coming through the door.

“What we have to make sure is they are of sufficient quality to help us make that next step. That will be to compete in the top half of the Championship and possibly higher than that. I wouldn’t want to set any parameters. The sky is the limit. We have to dare to dream. But where we are at the moment is where we are.

“In terms of our thinking for the summer, it may evolve (between now and the summer) but it is more or less there. The framework is there and has been for quite a while.

“Before that, though, we have to finish the season off and make our fans enjoy their football again.”

Bringing the enjoyment factor back to the John Smith’s Stadium is Robins’s priority for the run-in, starting with tonight’s visit of Boro.

He added: “We have to win games. I know that. I am not stupid. But part of that is the enjoyment factor and doing the things well that we know we can do.

“We have to control games by keeping the ball. Let’s get back to that.

“Middlesbrough have been difficult to break down and not conceded too many goals. But, equally, they have not scored too many goals, either.

“Admittedly, I would swap them for a couple of those 0-0s right now but this game will be about us and getting back to entertaining our supporters.

“We have gone away from that a little, of late. Maybe it is because we have been chasing results. We live in a culture where everything is about today and we want that success now.

“A lot of clubs have spent money this season to try and do that but we are doing it differently.

“We have a really good first XI with some players on the periphery of that who can come in and make a difference.”

Boro arrive after losing to QPR and have won just once in 11 outings. The game was fizzling out into a 1-1 draw but Rangers were gifted a stoppage-time goal out of the blue by goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos and made it 3-1 through Ravel Morrison.

Robins added: “We need a response to Blackpool. The first half was horrendous but the fans were still right behind the team. And myself. We all appreciate that support.”

Last six games: Huddersfield Town LWLDLL, Middlesbrough DLWDDL.

Referee: J Linington (Isle of Wight).

Last time: Huddersfield Town 2 Middlesbrough 1; March 5, 2013; Championship.