Karl Robinson: Former Oxford United boss says family abused during poor run of results
- Published
Karl Robinson took over at Oxford in 2018 after spells at MK Dons and Charlton
Karl Robinson has hit out at abuse aimed at his family during his final months as Oxford United manager.
Robinson, 42, was sacked last month with the U's 17th in League One.
Speaking to the BBC's 72+ podcast, he said his mother had to leave the ground during Oxford's trip to Burton, while his daughter had also been targeted.
"My daughter got constant criticism on Instagram and had some horrendous things said to her over the last two or three months," he said.
"I'm sick and tired of the old 'it's part and parcel of what you do, you get paid to do it'.
"We get paid to take criticism, but our families don't get paid to listen to that and take that either.
"But is it part of modern day society? It may just be nowadays."
Robinson's comments came just a week after Chelsea boss Graham Potter spoke out about anonymous abuse directed at himself and his family.
"It's part and parcel of it for anyone who stands on the touchline as a manager, they'll all tell you that you become a little bit immune to the noise in some ways," said Robinson.
"You just do your job, you're there, you're focussed, you've got complete clarity in what you're doing.
"It's the ones that sit in the stands that take that impact a lot more than you."
Robinson believes his sacking after five years at the Kassam Stadium "was the right decision for the results" after a run of one point in eight games.
Offers of a return to management have already come, but the former MK Dons and Charlton boss is planning to take a sabbatical away from football and come back "a better person".
"I had a phone call the next day (after his sacking) for something, and had a conversation with one or two people, but I just didn't feel it was right," he added.
"I walked straight from MK (Dons) I had two weeks, maybe three weeks out, then applied to Charlton.
"Literally on the same day I left Charlton I went to Oxford, so arguably it's 14 years as a straight run with only three weeks off as a manager."