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George Bennett

Karl Robinson opens up on why he rejected Leeds United job that 'didn't feel right' in 2016

Former MK Dons boss Karl Robinson has opened up on the story behind why he rejected a job offer from Leeds United in 2016.

Robinson most recently spent five years as manager of Oxford United, where he managed Leeds loanee Lewis Bate this season. However, he was sacked in February following a run of eight games without a win.

The 42-year-old was managing MK Dons when he was approached by Massimo Cellino, and Robinson has admitted that the conversation he had with the club 'didn't feel right'.

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"The Leeds one in 2016 was an interesting story,” Robinson told the William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ podcast No Tippy Tappy Football

“I met them on the Friday. I didn’t sleep on the Friday, I didn’t sleep on the Saturday so something didn’t feel right. Leeds weren’t the Leeds they were today, but they were still Leeds.

“I actually saw Sam Allardyce on the Monday and he said to go and meet them again, so I arranged to meet them and they weren’t there – 10am not there, 10.30am not there – so I phoned Sam and asked what to do, and he said to wait until 11am. Next thing they turned up and the conversation was a little erratic, unstable, and I thought, this isn’t me. It didn’t feel right.

“The fact that it was Leeds, it just wasn’t the right time. I’d just got relegated a few days before with MK Dons, and I felt so guilty for that. My personality meant I had a lot of guilt about that relegation – but then I got sacked by MK Dons two months later!”

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