KARL Robinson has admitted the signings of Josh Murphy and Sam Baldock were high-risk – but is confident the duo can still play a big part this season for Oxford United.
Last month, Robinson said he had no regrets over handing a fresh deal to Baldock at the end of last season.
In May, the 33-year-old striker signed a two-year contract with United, after his initial short-term deal with the club expired at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
Baldock initially signed as a free agent in February, after leaving Derby County, but suffered a knee injury less than a month after his debut.
However, he made a big impression at the club, scoring four goals in seven games, and struck up a strong partnership with Matty Taylor in a 3-4-1-2 formation.
Baldock though has been sidelined by injury this season.
“He’s gone to a League Two club to see if they want him in January, and ideally that would be the perfect plan for him.”
— Oxford Mail OUFC (@OxfordMailOUFC) December 13, 2022
Karl Robinson says Oisin Smyth is set to leave #oufc on loan in Januaryhttps://t.co/YW0ApySSha pic.twitter.com/4BOMC2GLOL
Murphy joined the U’s in July, agreeing a two-year deal following his release by Cardiff City.
The 27-year-old winger has played five times for United.
Speaking at Monday night’s fans’ forum, Robinson was questioned on the club’s summer transfer window, in particular the signings of Murphy and Baldock.
“The two big high-risk ones were Josh Murphy and Sam Baldock,” said Robinson.
“If you look at everything else, there wasn’t too much of a fear in any of them – in Stuart Findlay’s injury record, in Kyle Joseph’s record, in Yanic Wildschut’s record.
“These players were arguably generally always fit.
“Josh Murphy was probably the one that I look back on as the biggest risk we took, and I take full responsibility.
READ AGAIN: Karl Robinson says he has no regrets over deals for Sam Baldock and Alex Gorrin
“Josh has been, when he’s fit and when he’s training, probably up there as one of our best players and could be our biggest output.
“They were risks I felt we had to take in this window.
“I spoke to a manager in the Championship and they’ve done exactly the same thing, they’ve split every position with a high-risk, high-output player with a low-level financial one next to him.
“So far this season, all of their high-risk have stayed fit and made them ultra competitive.
“I feel if we get these players fit, we will be ultra competitive.
“We’ll look in this January window, you’ve got to be ultra careful because taking any high-risk players in January, you don’t have that ability to get them back fit.”
Chairman Grant Ferguson added: “We did have a strategy and Josh Murphy was perfect for that strategy.
“It becomes a risk-reward debate. We knew there was some risk there but had it worked out, he was absolutely the right person for what we were trying to achieve from a playing style perspective.
“So far it’s gone against us but he’s looking really good and we’ve still not given up on him.
“It wasn’t a great window and we know we can do better.
“Josh Murphy was high-risk and there was a reward side to that.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel