Why Robbo is so important!

Paul Robinson may be almost old enough to collect his pension but he is so important to the Birmingham City squad. At the start of the season, I know many of you fans wanted to see him play a lesser role on the pitch and a more coaching role on the training ground. This is understandable and I think it can only be a matter of time before he does become a coach.

However, what has surprised me and I’m sure most others, is how well he is doing this season. I’m not just talking about his goals, although they are always good and to have a defender pose a threat on set pieces is vital. I’m talking about the way in which he is actually defending. When he was selected to start against Derby I was very resistant to the idea. I thought that he was too slow to outpace Ince and the like. But I was wrong.

Robbo isn’t lightening quick by any stretch of the imagination, but his positioning is so good that he doesn’t have to outpace players as he always has yards on them. This clever thinking is something that is intrinsic and it is a credit to our club that Paul is so good at this particularly skill.

We all know Robbo loves a tackle. Look, you wouldn’t be a Birmingham City supporter if you didn’t put a bet on Rob getting a yellow card every week, even if he is a sub! But it’s not just the physical tackle that is so important. It is the attitude. The willingness to put your body on the line for the club doesn’t go unnoticed by the fans and it certainly gives confidence both to the ‘keeper and his fellow defenders.

His ability to close down players is great but it is also the way in which he communicates which is valuable. Off the pitch, he is a joker. Loves a laugh with fans and staff even on match days. But when he gets on the pitch, he bellows out orders like an army general. But people respect him and listen to it which works perfectly when he is trying to organise the back four. You need a leader and Robbo certainly is our leader.

Whatever happens in the next few seasons, he will always go down as a true Bluenose. (Unless he goes to Villa!) But he will be a sore miss on the pitch when he does decide to call it a day. He will be a brilliant coach but he will leave a gap in the squad that will be very hard to fill. For now though, we shall continue to watch his heart on the sleeve performances and boy, we shall love every minute of it.