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Wanderers coach ready to face Jets' heat

3 minute read

Whether or not he is booed by Newcastle fans on his return to the A-League club on Friday is of no concern to Western Sydney coach Carl Robinson.

CARL ROBINSON .
CARL ROBINSON . Picture: Ashley Feder/Getty Images

How Newcastle fans welcome him is up to them but Western Sydney coach Carl Robinson is just eager to draw a line under his time at the A-League club.

Robinson will face the Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday for the first time following his shock switch to the Wanderers in October, in a match that has taken on an extra edge.

As well as their former coach, the Jets will also be desperate to get one over Bernie Ibini after the ex-Socceroo followed Robinson out the exit door in controversial fashion last month.

However he is received, Robinson is adamant he is comfortable with his decision to leave the Jets after just 10 games in to a three-and-a-half year deal with the cash-strapped club.

"Hopefully after this game I can actually draw a line under it," the Welshman said.

"It's a good story because I left but there's reasons why I left and that's part and parcel of it.

"They're entitled to their opinions and entitled to do what they want to do.

"Sometimes it takes a big man to walk away and not say anything.

"People who know me, know the situation, well, I don't think they'll boo."

Robinson also won't be delivering any kind of special message to Ibini, whose exit prompted Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna to say his club only need players "who want to be here and play for the jersey".

The 28-year-old made his Wanderers' debut in the club's season-opening 1-0 loss to Macarthur FC on December 30 and Robinson is confident he'll handle a hostile reception from Jets' fans.

"I haven't spoken to him about him going back. I don't need to do that," Robinson said.

"He's a seasoned pro. He's got his own mind.

"He'll control it how he wants to control it. I know that he'll have a big impact in the game because he's a really good player."

While there is likely to be no love lost between the two clubs on Friday, Robinson did welcome a consortium of clubs - including the Wanderers - taking over the running of the Jets after absentee owner Martin Lee's licence was terminated.

"It's important that the clubs have helped out Newcastle," he said.

"Even though I might get booed on the weekend ... there's some passionate people up there so it was important that they got help and they did."

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