Newspaper Clippings - Loose - Volume 1 - page 47
Image details
OCR |
NPGZ - A - 1-036 36 SHIELDS GAZETTE SPORT Robson on Cats exit , lessons learned and bouncing back By Phil Smith philip.smith@jpimedia.co.uk @Phil_ Smith Ethan Robson's release brought an end to a 15 - year journey through the ranks at the club . In an exclusive inter view , he discusses his disap pointment with the decision , but outlines why it could yet be a blessing in disguise ' for his career . Ethan Robson has been piecing it all together . He has played at his boyhood club for most of his life and so has lived so many of his dreams , and so many of ours . It's come to an end , now , and there has been much to process . Disappoint ment at the opportunities that never quite presented them selves . Frustration with the luck that just deserted him at one or two crucial moments . Genuine excitement about a career that still has so many chapters to be told , and a steely determination to prove those who have doubted him wrong . Above all else , pride at wearing that shirt . " I was disappointed when I heard , it was a kick in the teeth , " Robson said . " I'm a Sunderland lad and so obviously I would have loved to have stayed , but I suppose all good things come to an end . But if I'm honest , I'm kind of ready to just get on with my ca reer . I'm disappointed , but it's an opinion game and there's always going to be people who doubt you . But I back my abil ity and I believe I can play at a good standard . " I showed when I did play for Sunderland that I am able to play for a big club . " I'm just looking forward , my main focus is getting out there , playing games and then who knows what will happen in the future . I'm disappoint ed but I won't dwell on it . I'm ready to get on with things . " Robson's emotions are mixed because while he dis agrees with the logic behind the decision to release him , there's a reason why he be lieves it could potentially be a blessing in disguise . His last six months at Sun derland encapsulated the holding pattern in which he often found himself . He was never far away from the action , and never quite at the heart of it . He had returned from Grimsbywith glowing reports , and Phil Parkinson was left in Ethan Robson during Sunderland's pre - season . no doubt as to his talent from what he saw in training . Yet Robson was always , as so often proved to be the case , just an injury or a suspen sion away . Robson didn't see that changing , even if he felt it should . Now he is 23 - years - old and he needs to play . " I came back from Grims by in good form and I thought I had a real chance of playing , " he says . " I was training well , the manager said that as well and that he thought I could do a job for him . I just felt like I never got the chance to prove it in a game situation . " Even ifI stayed , I probably wouldn't play as much as I'd like . I honestly think it might be a blessing in disguise . I'm gutted , really disappointed , but we had that chat about what he thinks is the right thing for me . We did agree that it probably is the best thing for my future . " Sunderland's squad for next season is thin as it stands and yet , there are already four contracted central midfield ers who Parkinson has pre ferred since his arrival . That Children with Cancer UK explebes my in itself tells a tale . " It feels like there have al ways been a lot of midfielders throughout my time , " Robson says . " For instance , for much of this season there's been one left - back at the club . That's been brilliant for Denver , who has done so well and really tak en that opportunity , made the spot his own . But that's the bit ofluck you need as well , where you know you'll play . " So the best thing now is to play games , get my name out there and show what I'm all about , because I do think I'm good enough . I don't want to dwell on things , to think I've been released ' , but I'm defi nitely positive because I think I just need a run of games and hopefully I can get that next season . " GRILLS That there has already been so much interest in a summer move owes much to the positive impression he made at Dundee and Grimsby . It's a process that arguably took far too long , and is the best advice he would give to anyone who follows his path . " These days , managers look at what you've done in senior football , and not so much what you've done in the academy . Thankfully , I've had two good loans now and that's going to be huge [ in finding a club ] . 100 % , it would have helped to get out on loan ear lier . If anyone in the academy lier . If anyone in the academy was to ask me for advice , that's what I'd tell them . Get out on loan as early as you can and get that experience . Robson is far from the on ly one to feel that the regular turnover of managers at the club hurt the prospects of players in the academy . George Honeyman is an other who regularly spoke of the challenge that came with having to prove yourself over and over again , to get close and then have to start from scratch when a new face comes through the door . " For any player that's tough but I think for any player in the academy , I think you've got to prove your self that bit more to get the op portunity , " Robson says . " You think you're in the plans , that you're in and about it , then the manager gets sacked and you've got to do it all over again . It's happened a few times and it's been tough for a few of us . " I think it's been a factor in my time , I do think I've been unlucky but it's just one of those things , all I can do is look to the future really . " Robson is indebted to so many at the club's academy where he grew up as both a player and as a person . Many have moved on to pastures new , but they are re lationships that will endure . " There are so many , and some who aren't at the club anymore , " Robson says . " I had a coach called John Tweedy , who actually moved me from left back into mid field because he saw that I had that potential on the ball . I had a great relationship with him . " Elliott Dickman helped massively as well . Ged McNa mee , Mark Atkinson , Paul Bry son , Bally . All of those coaches helped me in their own way . It has all been a dream come true for me . There's so much I can take forward into the future , things I'll never forget . " www.shieldsgazette.com Tuesday , June 30 , 2020 ' You can't plan for anything ' - Lambert Ipswich Town boss Paul Lam bert believes the coronavi rus pandemic could change football for good but admits it is frustrating not knowing when next season will start . Ipswich , along with Sun derland , are facing up to an other season in the third tier with both clubs outside the play - offs when the campaign was ended early . Lambert admits the pe riod of uncertainty has been ' frustrating as hell ' but in sists health and safety comes first . And he believes the crisis could lead to more chances for younger players , in par ticular . Lambert told the Ipswich Star : " The health and safe ty of people is obviously the most important thing through all of this . " From a job point of view though , it's been as hard a challenge as I've had as a manager for different rea sons . " There are a lot of ques tions out there and not many answers . " We are continuously in the unknown . You can't plan . for anything and it's been as frustrating as hell . " Going forward , I think this will change the face of the game though . " It could actually prove to be a beneficial for foot ball long term . It might bring everyone together . " Clubs won't have the money to go and spend this and that either and you'll find that youngsters will get a chance . Supporters will be fine with that . I'll be fine with that . " We have got a good group of youngsters com ing through here and we will look to develop them into first - team players over time . " Paul Lambert . + The pandemic has cry Job dr Tommy gazette.ne @shield The nu canci hay CO U |
---|