Mark Robins gave Coventry hope against all odds: his hasty exit stinks of ingratitude | Jonny Weeks

Is it true? After nearly eight years, two promotions, a painful loss in the Championship playoff final that went to penalties, and a controversial toenail offside that denied them a spot in last year's FA Cup final, Mark Robins has been dismissed from his role as Coventry City’s manager.

In the top four tiers of English football, only Pep Guardiola has held his position longer—and let's face it, his situation was far less challenging. When Robins came back to the Sky Blues in 2017 for his second term, he served as a stabilizing force during a turbulent period as the club faced eviction and nearly went bankrupt. Despite dealing with intense financial pressure from previous owners Otium, he managed to achieve remarkable success, guiding the team back to the Championship from League Two, leading them to Wembley four times, and rekindling the passion of fans who had lost interest in the club.

He is justly celebrated as one of the club's finest managers, following only John Sillett and possibly Jimmy Hill. Many believe he deserved the chance to navigate through a challenging time after contributing so many years of advancement.

I can’t shake the feeling that his departure feels ungrateful, and that Robins truly embodies the idea of being a victim of his own achievements. However, the harsh reality is that he has been in charge during a time of gradual decline over the last year and a half.

After Coventry parted ways with key players Viktor Gyökeres and Gustavo Hamer for a significant sum during the summer of 2023, following their failure to secure a spot in the Premier League, the team's new signings have been costly and disappointing.

Haji Wright, who joined from Antalyaspor for £7.5 million, and Ellis Simms, a £3 million acquisition from Everton, seemed a bit anxious at the beginning of their time with the Sky Blues. Although Simms had a short period of good form, he still appears to be lacking confidence. He has become the type of forward who often misses even the easiest opportunities, reminiscent of Darwin Núñez in the Championship.

After a disappointing loss to Manchester United in the Cup final at Wembley last season, City faced four defeats in five matches, causing them to miss the playoffs. This season, they've already lost seven out of 14 league games, including a particularly poor performance at home against newly promoted Derby on Wednesday night. As a result, they find themselves just above the relegation zone, only ahead on goal difference. It's now the third consecutive year that City has struggled at the beginning of the season.

With Callum O’Hare's transfer to Sheffield United for free and Kasey Palmer's unexpected departure to Hull on deadline day, the injury-prone Ben Sheaf is now the last key midfielder remaining in the City squad. It's puzzling that while Robins brought in more attackers over the summer, he overlooked the need to strengthen the midfield, especially in such a tough and demanding league like the Championship.

Recent wins against Luton and Middlesbrough have eased worries about a surprise drop to a lower division, but the games surrounding those victories were quite poor, leaving the club's owner, Doug King, understandably frustrated.

After Wednesday night's defeat, one fan expressed their frustration on X (formerly Twitter), saying there was “no energy, passion, or leadership.” Another viewer commented, “If you watched that game and didn’t recognize the level of performance, you’d be generous to call it League Two quality. It was truly terrible.”

Honestly, Robins wasn’t exactly known for his strategic skills and appeared to avoid making substitutions. However, he teamed up with Adi Viveash and Dennis Lawrence to create a strong coaching trio. The unexpected exit of Viveash for unclear reasons this summer, following Lawrence’s move to Minnesota, shook the club significantly. What was once a steady environment has now turned into a state of confusion, and the hope that fans had has given way to frustration.

What hurts the most about Robins' dismissal isn't just that it happened, but rather the speed at which it occurred. Most fans weren't overly upset, and many would have been okay with a season of struggles. Personally, I wouldn’t have been upset even if Robins had led us to relegation, as there was a chance he could have brought back the spark we needed to bounce back.

It's uncertain what league the Sky Blues will be playing in if Robins eventually receives the statue he truly merits outside the stadium.