Jack Robinson's Sheffield United absence v Middlesbrough explained amid Watford transfer links
Jack Robinson's Sheffield United absence v Middlesbrough explained amid Watford transfer links
Jack Robinson’s absence from the Sheffield United squad that lost at Middlesbrough this afternoon was not an indication that he will leave Bramall Lane before Monday’s transfer deadline, boss Ruben Selles has admitted. The 31-year-old is a player of interest for United’s Championship rivals Watford in the latter stages of this window.
His omission from the squad that travelled to the Riverside Stadium, with Japhet Tanganga coming in for his debut and Nils Zatterstrom taking his place on the bench, only increased speculation that Robinson’s time in South Yorkshire is coming to an end ahead of Monday’s 7pm deadline.
But Selles suggested otherwise in his post-match press conference. No, the decisions for today are not related to the transfer window,” he said. “For Jack, or for any other player.”
Asked to elaborate further on why Robinson didn’t make the journey up the A1 to Boro, which saw the home side run out 1-0 winners and United’s horrid start to the season continue, Selles added: “No, there was no issue.
“It was my decision with the team. We have so many players and I decided to go with a different configuration in the back four and also a configuration in the bench. So I didn't see the moment to bring him and I communicated with him in the proper way. As I communicated in some other weeks with him over playing, or with any other player that was out of the squad.”
Jack Robinson's Sheffield United absence v Middlesbrough explained amid Watford transfer links
Despite Selles’ insistence, his decision to drop his club captain out of the matchday squad entirely, after such a bad start to the season, will raise eyebrows even higher and only intensify belief that Robinson will follow Rhys Norrington-Davies out of the exit door before the window slams shut.
Asked if he expects Robinson to remain beyond that point, Selles said coyly: “Well, I cannot see the future. It's a decision and I have always been honest and complete with them in what I expected from the situations. Not only with Jack, but with everyone.
“I understand that from the outside it can look like a strange decision. But I don't want to put it only on one player, because there's players like [Ehije[ Ukaki who has been in and out of the squads for us and travelled with us.
“As I said, I try always to look people in the eyes, tell them what I think and I think if they need to play, they play like he or any other did in the last games. If I think I'm not going to count on them for the next game, I also tell them.
“And I think that's how it should be done. I'm not going to lie to you and say that he's out or making excuses. For good or for bad, I make decisions and that's another decision that I made.”