'... Look Around You All You See Are Sympathetic Eyes'

We now have official confirmation of the appointment of Karl Robinson, like his predecessor afforded the title of manager but unlike Russell Slade not apparently given a three-year contract, rather one for two-and-a-half years. Perhaps the regime is working around a three-year plan which commenced in the summer. Slade lasted for six months of it, so Robinson gets the remaining term. Presumably the next in line will be hoping that Robinson doesn't last much longer than Slade, if he/she is to have any hope of a reasonable term for his/her own post-dismissal pay-off.

I know, let's not be too cynical, even though all the evidence we have supports such a stance. There has been no reversion to a network appointment - although as raised elsewhere just what the thinking is behind bringing in Chris O'Loughlin, as an 'addition to the club's coaching staff', remains to be seen. So does whether Robinson will want to bring in some of his own men as assistants, or whether he has agreed to work with those in situ.

In other circumstances it is an appointment which would have us feeling cautiously optimistic. For sure the jury has to still be out over whether he is the exciting, innovative and successful young manager suggested by much of his time at MK Dons, or whether he has flattered to deceive and came up short when the pressure was on. We would, quite rightly, give him the benefit of the doubt (obviously the fact that the regime considered him to be the most suitable candidate means nothing) and hope that it proves to be the former, for the good of our club.

However, I'm always a little wary about someone who has been in the same job for some time and leaps straight into another at the first opportunity; good for the bank balance but perhaps not optimum when it comes to learning from the previous experience and taking a little time to recharge the batteries. He was only sacked on 23 October and in managerial terms Robinson is, so far, a one-club man, having been at MK Dons for six years as manager (before that assistant manager, before that coaching at Blackburn). So it remains to be seen whether he has the range of skills and qualities to bring us success on the pitch, against the obviously difficult backdrop he will face.

There is no question of the anti-regime protests being halted, temporarily or otherwise. Given this, what Robinson says in his press conference - and he is bound to be asked - will be examined closely. We've all seen the reported aside at the Bristol Rovers game to the effect that supporters' protests now have to stop. Hopefully Robinson either didn't make such a remark or has learnt quickly that it was inappropriate. Any suggestion that his coming to the club is grounds for a rethink would be the height of arrogance on his part and would display a lack of understanding of the actual nature and rationale of the protests, rather than the deceitful version offered up by the regime.

After all, the mere fact that our owner has recently disgraced himself again - if the reports are accurate - by insulting us once more should be sufficient to keep up the protests momentum. If Duchatelet did indeed say to the Belgian media that the protests are the work of some disgruntled ex-employees backed up by those unhappy with a female CEO he is an outright liar as surely even he isn't so self-deluded as to believe such nonsense. Meire tried to taint us with her racism allusions and that was equally disgraceful - and utterly at odds with the evidence.

So two splendid victories, a cautiously positive welcoming of a new manager, and no let-up in the protests. Translating 'support the team, not the regime' isn't an easy balancing act. But it is the best way forward for the good of our club.