How Mark Robins used time away to put together new Stoke City backroom team
Mark Robins has made sure he used his time out of football wisely to make sure he was putting the right team together for when he made his return.
Robins has spent nearly two months at home after an eight-year stint at Coventry City came to an abrupt end in early November. He reckons he had built the equivalent of five different teams during that time, pulling the club up from League Two to compete for a place in the Premier League, reaching the FA Cup semi-final last season too.
Along the way, he worked next to coaches most notably including Adi Viveash and Dennis Lawrence.
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He has been joined at Stoke by England under-20s lead coach Paul Nevin and Wales assistant manager James Rowberry, while Alex Morris is staying on as first team coach and Darren Behcet is returning to his role as goalkeeper coach.
Robins said: “I’ve spent quite a bit of time, to be fair, while I’ve been off, talking to people, knowing that I needed to put a team together.
“I spoke with Paul on a number of occasions and I’ve met James previously and know he’s a really good coach, really good coach and coach educator as well, lead coach himself on the grass and he’s done a lot of work with the Welsh FA and currently working with Craig Bellamy in the Wales national team as well. He’s been Newport County manager and he’s got a brilliant voice, good projection, good detail. He’s a really good coach to have around.
“Nev is someone who has loads of experience at the top level, Premier League level, England under-20s. He’s a top coach. I’m delighted to get him in.”
Dean Whitehead, who was brought in by Narcis Pelach and stayed to help Ryan Shawcross during the last week, has left.
But Morris, who was brought in by Alex Neil initially as under-21s coach but stepped over to the senior side full-time last season, is staying.
Sporting director Jon Walters said: “Alex is a Stoke City fan and really helped towards the back end of last year and he’s a great guy to have in there, who Mark will get to know. He feels it as a fan, he’s a good guy and he’s a very good coach as well.”
