Oxford United: Finances 'not preventing club from sacking Karl Robinson' says CEO
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Oxford United CEO Tim Williams says embattled head coach Karl Robinson knows the pressure is on
Oxford United CEO Tim Williams says finances are not preventing the board from sacking head coach Karl Robinson.
The League One club have struggled for form since the turn of the year, losing seven of their past 10 games.
"We [the board] are not blind, we know we are underachieving significantly," Williams told BBC Radio Oxford's Five Minute Fan Forum.
"Why is Karl still the manager? It's not about finances, it's about what is right for this club."
Oxford have slowly slid down the table and are currently 17th in League One and seven points outside the relegation places with 13 games of the season remaining.
"Losing is awful and losing match after match is worse," added Williams.
"Karl is the manager, he picks the team, assembles the squad and is ultimately responsible for results and our league position.
"He knows the pressure is on and that we can't continue the way we are and so do the players and all the staff.
"All I can say is results have to improve and it's as simple as that."
'It is wrong to say we are letting club go into freefall'
Robinson's U's secured back-to-back league victories in mid-January but a dip in form has seen them claim just one point since.
It is a far cry from the way they ended 2022, where they lost just two of 12 games and went on a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Williams said recent performances are affecting the whole club: "We don't just go home on a Saturday night after a loss and get on with our lives like we are not bothered.
"When we hear reactions like 'we've taken our eye off the ball', that we don't care and are wilfully letting the club go into freefall, it's simply wrong.
"We care about what we are doing on the pitch and everyone who is paying their hard earned money to come and watch what have been really poor performances."
Decision makers must understand 'consequences' of a sacking
Some fans have been calling for the board to sack Robinson.
The embattled head coach said following Saturday's defeat by Cambridge United that he still believed he could get Oxford out of League One and previously admitted he felt like he was 'letting everybody down'.
"Who makes the final decision on Karl? Like all football clubs nowadays we are run as a business with a proper structure and hierarchy on decision making," Williams continued.
"A decision as critically important as this would be made ultimately by the board, but with input from a wide range of individuals and all with the correct level of expertise.
"Above all, that decision is made with the full understanding that those who are making-it are fully aware of the consequences and its impact on the club."
