Stoke City urged to fix "one of the main issues" with Mark Robins stance | OneFootball

FLW’s Potters fan pundit says Stoke need to trust in Robins to escape Championship stagnation

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

As another difficult Championship campaign draws to a close, Stoke City find themselves once again looking to reset over the summer.

The Potters have been unable to break the cycle of underachievement since dropping down to the second tier.

For Stoke fans, the key issue isn’t just recruitment or results - it’s the lack of a long-term managerial plan.

After a season that saw three changes to the dugout, supporters are hopeful that the January appointment of Mark Robins will finally bring the stability the club has been crying out for.

Managerial turnover is the root of Stoke’s ongoing struggles

Football League World spoke with Stoke City’s resident fan pundit, Sam Harrison, on what the Potters’ priority issue was in the summer, and how it could be fixed.

“I think with Stoke, the main thing - one of the main issues - is that if you look at during the seven seasons we’ve had in the Championship, the issue has been having a long-term manager,” Harrison told FLW.

“It’s been a constant cycle of bottom half finishes and a revolving door, you could say, of managers coming in. So I think one of the issues and one of the priorities into next season is sorting out a long-term plan and that’s with Mark Robins.

“The reason I’m saying that is, you know, he proved in the Championship that (if) he is going to be given time, going to turn the team and is going to be able to push us. Going to be able to give Stoke something different. And even if next season’s a mid-table finish, that’s going to be an improvement on the other seven years we’ve had in the Championship.

“The issue is, far too many times we’ve seen, like this season, Steven Schumacher out of the door after five or seven games or something like that, what was the long-term target with him? I think it was a bit silly, and you’ve got to question what the plan was, and I think this season has emphasised that issue.

“We need to keep at it, in terms of providing a long-term target, whether that be in two, three seasons under Mark Robins, we want to have at least challenged for the play-offs, or something like that. At the end of the day, you can’t keep finishing bottom half, bottom half, bottom half, and then not go down. We’re not even guaranteed that just yet, and who’s to say next season it won’t be the same.

“But I think with Mark Robins, he’s one of the best men to have in that job to turn it around, bring that stability to the club, and you’ve got to look at it and give targets to him, to see a difference. Stoke need a change, Stoke need something different, and Mark Robins is the man to do that.

“Allow him to bring in his players, give him time, and also back him. I think that’s the thing, and I hope that’s what can happen in the coming season. It’s just one where you say 'right, we need to actually have an idea for next season. We’re not pushing for the play-offs, but has it been improved? Yes', and that’s the big issue that Stoke need to sort out.”

Mark Robins is the right manager to lead long-term change at Stoke

The appointment of Mark Robins marks a significant shift for Stoke City. After years of instability and underperformance in the Championship, the club has turned to a manager with a proven track record of building sustainable success.

Robins’ transformative tenure at Coventry City - guiding them from League Two to the brink of the Premier League - demonstrates his capacity to implement a long-term vision grounded in structure, identity and progression.

Stoke’s decision to restore the traditional title of 'manager' reflects a broader commitment to entrusting him with genuine authority over footballing matters. Robins now has the platform to bring much-needed stability and direction to the club.

If supported over time, he has the experience and leadership to lift Stoke out of the Championship’s lower reaches and re-establish them as a competitive and forward-thinking force in the division.