KingofSpain wrote:

I certainly hope you are right BR.

Meanwhile, as the club dithers, we are missing out on potential coaches and players. Recruitment is crucial. Even today Middlesex have signed Zafar Gohar from Gloucester (classed as a domestic rather than overseas player). He would have been an ideal addition to be our main spinner and he can bat too.

Too true, KoS. Whatever the decision on Robinson (and like you, I hope what BR has speculated, is correct), the Club must come to a judgment about the Head Coach SOON. Every other County is making progress on incoming and outgoing staff - and we are increasingly being left behind. If we sit on the fence any longer, the availability of good quality players (and Coaches) will be significantly restricted.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

KingofSpain wrote:

Bald_Reynard wrote:

https://www.cricketworld.com/ethan-bambers-first-interview-as-a-bear/98007.htm

Interview with Ethan Bamber, VERY interesting (possibly!), that all the WCCC part is done by Larsen, there are no comments by Robinson and no mention by Bamber that he is looking forward to working with / benefiting from the coaching of MR ..... blah blah ..... like new recruits often say.

I might be reading too much into this, but I might not be!!

Larsen seems to be front and centre at the moment. Robinson nowhere to be seen or heard.
It's a shame we missed out on Lehmann, a real coup for Northants. That's the calibre of coach we need.

That's my reading of it, KoS. I think the 'sands have shifted' and Robinson could well be on his way. All the runes in October, seem to indicate that he has been (quietly) pushed aside. No interviews from him, no statements about plans for next season - and most importantly, the club have announced nothing about incoming, or outgoing players. To me, that smacks of, 'no decisions until we get a new Head Coach'.

https://edgbaston.com/news/club-captain-davies-pens-one-year-contract-extension/

Larsen again talking about Davies's contract extension. NOTHING from Robinson! I'm becoming even more confident that he might have departed 'our shores', but, for goodness sake, can someone at the club give us an update. The 'September Review' should have ended 6 weeks ago now!

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Bald_Reynard wrote:

KingofSpain wrote:

Bald_Reynard wrote:

https://www.cricketworld.com/ethan-bambers-first-interview-as-a-bear/98007.htm

Interview with Ethan Bamber, VERY interesting (possibly!), that all the WCCC part is done by Larsen, there are no comments by Robinson and no mention by Bamber that he is looking forward to working with / benefiting from the coaching of MR ..... blah blah ..... like new recruits often say.

I might be reading too much into this, but I might not be!!

Larsen seems to be front and centre at the moment. Robinson nowhere to be seen or heard.
It's a shame we missed out on Lehmann, a real coup for Northants. That's the calibre of coach we need.

That's my reading of it, KoS. I think the 'sands have shifted' and Robinson could well be on his way. All the runes in October, seem to indicate that he has been (quietly) pushed aside. No interviews from him, no statements about plans for next season - and most importantly, the club have announced nothing about incoming, or outgoing players. To me, that smacks of, 'no decisions until we get a new Head Coach'.

https://edgbaston.com/news/club-captain-davies-pens-one-year-contract-extension/

Larsen again talking about Davies's contract extension. NOTHING from Robinson! I'm becoming even more confident that he might have departed 'our shores', but, for goodness sake, can someone at the club give us an update. The 'September Review' started 6 weeks ago now!

The picture in that link suggests otherwise to me unfortunately.

That's my reading of it, KoS. I think the 'sands have shifted' and Robinson could well be on his way. All the runes in October, seem to indicate that he has been (quietly) pushed aside. No interviews from him, no statements about plans for next season - and most importantly, the club have announced nothing about incoming, or outgoing players. To me, that smacks of, 'no decisions until we get a new Head Coach'.

https://edgbaston.com/news/club-captain-davies-pens-one-year-contract-extension/

Larsen again talking about Davies's contract extension. NOTHING from Robinson! I'm becoming even more confident that he might have departed 'our shores', but, for goodness sake, can someone at the club give us an update. The 'September Review' should have ended 6 weeks ago now!

The picture in that link suggests otherwise to me unfortunately.

I wouldn't place too much emphasis on the photo. Its an old one, taken during the season and they probably don't have one of Davies and Larsen together!

No reference at all to Robinson in the PR. The silence is deafening.

Once again, it is important to note, that with the announcement of MB's retirement, not a word from 'our Head Coach'! Just Larsen responding again!

Players have reported back to Edgbaston. No sign of Robinson...

I hope we get news on the coaching set up and new players soon. The inactivity of the club does not bode well for next season.
The good news is that we should have plenty of funds for recruitment with the amount of senior players departing and off the wage bill. I imagine Rhodes, Burgess and Norwell were on significant salaries. Unless the club spends it all on T20 mercenaries again.

KingofSpain wrote:

Players have reported back to Edgbaston. No sign of Robinson...

Not so sure about that - looks like he's supervising training in a video posted on the Bears Facebook page on Monday 11th November....

It is concerning, and puzzling, that the only signing announced is a one year extention for a player who already had two years left on his contract, and will be well over 30 at the end of the original contract, and likely to be experiencing a decline in performance. Surely that is the wrong priority?

Solbear wrote:

KingofSpain wrote:

Players have reported back to Edgbaston. No sign of Robinson...

Not so sure about that - looks like he's supervising training in a video posted on the Bears Facebook page on Monday 11th November....

I expect he's just there temporarily 'covering' early training and nets, until a proper replacement is made. The fact that he's not made any public pronouncements in nearly 2 months, must mean he's on his way.

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Solbear wrote:

KingofSpain wrote:

Players have reported back to Edgbaston. No sign of Robinson...

Not so sure about that - looks like he's supervising training in a video posted on the Bears Facebook page on Monday 11th November....

I expect he's just there temporarily 'covering' early training and nets, until a proper replacement is made. The fact that he's not made any public pronouncements in nearly 2 months, must mean he's on his way.

I agree, that looks most likely. It strikes me, that an appointment has been made, but that person can't take up his role at the moment. Hence no announcement - he will still be under contract elsewhere.

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Solbear wrote:

KingofSpain wrote:

Players have reported back to Edgbaston. No sign of Robinson...

Not so sure about that - looks like he's supervising training in a video posted on the Bears Facebook page on Monday 11th November....

I expect he's just there temporarily 'covering' early training and nets, until a proper replacement is made. The fact that he's not made any public pronouncements in nearly 2 months, must mean he's on his way.

I agree, that looks most likely. It strikes me, that an appointment has been made, but that person can't take up his role at the moment. Hence no announcement - he will still be under contract elsewhere.

Yes, that sounds quite likely. Intriguingly, one person who is working at the moment (in South Africa?), is an ex-Bear, who has been touted as a possible new Head Coach (you all know who)! I think someone on here speculated that his international and South African work (in a lovely southern hemisphere summer) might mean he wouldn't fancy an Edgbaston return. Well ........ ?!

Bald_Reynard wrote:

Solbear wrote:

KingofSpain wrote:

Players have reported back to Edgbaston. No sign of Robinson...

Not so sure about that - looks like he's supervising training in a video posted on the Bears Facebook page on Monday 11th November....

I expect he's just there temporarily 'covering' early training and nets, until a proper replacement is made. The fact that he's not made any public pronouncements in nearly 2 months, must mean he's on his way.

This seems likely. Robinson will still be on the payroll and until they agree a settlement he will have to turn up for work.

There's an interview in The Cricketer with Ali Maiden who has joined Warwickshire as women's head coach. There is quite a lot of emphasis on how pleased he is to be joining up again with Mark Robinson (he was assistant coach to Robinson when England women won the World Cup in 2017). So unless Maiden is in for a disappointment, it may be that Robinson is not on his way out.

GerryShedd wrote:

There's an interview in The Cricketer with Ali Maiden who has joined Warwickshire as women's head coach. There is quite a lot of emphasis on how pleased he is to be joining up again with Mark Robinson (he was assistant coach to Robinson when England women won the World Cup in 2017). So unless Maiden is in for a disappointment, it may be that Robinson is not on his way out.

That is depressing news. I was getting all excited about a Robinson departure - at some point soon.

Bald_Reynard wrote:
Intriguingly one ex-bear, who has been touted as a possible new Head Coach (you all know who)! I think someone on here speculated that his international and South African work (in a lovely southern hemisphere summer) might mean he wouldn't fancy an Edgbaston return. Well ........ ?!

If they could convince him then that would be a huge achievement. I wrote him off simply because my logic would be, why earn half as much for twice the work, in less enjoyable weather conditions.
Would say quite a bit about his work ethic, how he views championship cricket and his views on the club if he did decide to come.

The Cricketer has published an article about the review headed 'all options are open' and says the review will be presented by the end of November.
The full article is behind a paywall unfortunately.

KingofSpain wrote:

The Cricketer has published an article about the review headed 'all options are open' and says the review will be presented by the end of November.
The full article is behind a paywall unfortunately.

Well, without being able to see it, it sounds reasonably hopeful that we might get the resolution most of us want - a 'handshake' to Robinson. "All options are open", does mean the Head Coach's position is being assessed. The timescale of the end of the month, supports the fact that he is still taking training - and the statement by Maiden that one reason he came to Edgbaston was Robinson - when he was appointed (in August), MR was here - and (presumably) he had no knowledge that a new Mens Coach might be on his way in.

I'm reasonably optimistic of the (right?!) outcome of the Review.

Without totally breaking the paywall, key points from George Dobell's article are:

• A board meeting to decide next steps will take place at the start of December.
• The club have hired external consultants to lead the review.
• The review will cover medical support and pitch preparation as well as player recruitment and development
• Reports from the dressing room on Robinson and Larsen "are not entirely positive".

The article also mentions something that I hadn't heard about - "the imminent departure of Keith Cook". He's spent over 50 years at the club so this may just be a natural time for him to retire; but it will still be a major landmark.