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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
ROBERT DILLON

Former Jets coach Carl Robinson hopes fans "understand" his decision to quit the club

TURNING POINT: Carl Robinson took charge of the Wanderers last week, a matter of days after they first contacted him and enticed him to quit the Jets. Picture: Getty Images

FORMER Jets coach Carl Robinson believes fans would "understand" his decision to walk out on the club if they knew the full story.

Robinson, the former Welsh international midfielder and Vancouver Whitecaps manager, signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Newcastle in February, only to exercise a clause last week to terminate it and accept a three-season deal with Western Sydney Wanderers instead.

"Yes, I know fans will be disappointed and I understand that, but I loved every minute of being there," Robinson said in a video interview with SBS The World Game.

"Even though I might get a little bit of criticism, that's football. That's professional sports. I know all that.

"One day the reasons will come out, probably, and I think they'll understand."

Robinson alluded to Newcastle's precarious financial position.

The club has been on the market since May last year.

Chinese billionaire Martin Lee has spent an estimated $15 million since he bought the Jets four years ago, but CEO Lawrie McKinna revealed last week that the club has not received "one penny" from Lee in the past 12 months.

Robinson told SBS fans should "keep an open mind" about his departure.

"Only probably me and Lawrie know the exact goings-on at the football club and the extent of where we were at," he said. "So it wasn't an easy decision.

"I loved my time there. When we joined back in February, we were talking about a three-year project and things like that.

"But over the 10 months there were certain things that weren't moving forward."

Robinson added that securing his family's future was a factor in his decision.

"I think it was the best thing for me," he said.

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