"That would be my fear" - Cardiff City warned against appointing Scottish Premiership manager | OneFootball

FLW's Cardiff City fan pundit has given his verdict on the potential appointment of St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson.

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...

Cardiff City are currently on the hunt for a new manager as they prepare for life in League One following their relegation from the Championship.

Cardiff made the bold decision to sack manager Omer Riza last month with just three games of the season remaining in an attempt to avoid relegation, but Aaron Ramsey was unable to save the club from the drop after taking interim charge.

Salford City manager Karl Robinson was the first name to be linked with the vacancy at the Cardiff City Stadium last week, but according to journalist Alan Nixon, St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson is also on the Bluebirds' radar.

After spells in charge of Oldham Athletic, Motherwell and Morecambe, Robinson took over at the SMISA Stadium in February 2022, and he has led the Buddies to three consecutive top six finishes in the Scottish Premiership, while his side also featured in the UEFA Conference League earlier this season before being eliminated in the third qualifying round.

However, should Cardiff decide to pursue a move for Robinson, they will reportedly face competition from Huddersfield Town, who are believed to have identified the 50-year-old as their top target, as well as Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers.

Cardiff City concerns raised over potential Stephen Robinson appointment

When asked for his thoughts on the possible arrival of Robinson, FLW's Cardiff City fan pundit Matt Hall warned owner Vincent Tan against appointing the Northern Irishman as he believes his low-possession brand of football would not be suitable for the Bluebirds in League One.

"I'm not going to pretend to be an expert with Stephen Robinson, I've only looked at bits and bobs with him," Matt told FLW.

"Credit to him, he's done a decent job at St Mirren, but I can't imagine they've got the biggest finances in Scotland.

"I don't think it would be a great appointment for us compared to Huddersfield.

"When you look at Huddersfield under Carlos Corberan, they were a low-possession team and they benefitted from that.

"But most teams usually sit in against teams who come down, and I look at his average of 42% possession with St Mirren and I don't think that would translate very well.

"I think we need a manager that is used to having games where you dominate the ball, I think it will suit the young players that we've got and will be how most of our home games will go.

"I just don't see our home games being ones where we have less than 50% of the ball, and I think we need a manager who will have the tactical knowledge of how to break down a low block and what do in possession.

"That would be my fear with Stephen Robinson.

"He may suit a Huddersfield who suit that style of play a little bit more and are going through a bit more of a rebuild than we are, but he would not be for me personally.

"I think it's vital that the manager we get can not only perform in League One, which Robinson may be able to even if I'm not 100% convinced, but they also need to be someone that's good enough for the Championship as well.

"Realistically, the aim is to be back there as soon as possible, so I think a younger manager that we feel confident would be able to perform at Championship level, as well as League One, is very important."

Stephen Robinson would be too much of a gamble for Cardiff City

Robinson is clearly a highly-rated manager, and he was even believed to have been under consideration by Sunderland last summer, so it seems likely he will get another chance to manage south of the border in the near future.

However, while Robinson has done an impressive job at St Mirren, he has only won 52 of his 146 games in charge of the Buddies, drawing 28 and losing 66, and his record in League One with Oldham and Morecambe does not make for good reading.

Of course, Cardiff would have significantly bigger resources than both of those clubs, which would give Robinson a better chance of delivering success, but his struggles in English football are undoubtedly a concern, and the Bluebirds simply cannot afford to take such a big risk with what is a crucial managerial appointment.