Carl Robinson is back in Vancouver for the first time since the Whitecaps fired him as head coach five years ago. Now an assistant coach with DC United, Robinson is the most successful head coach in Whitecaps MLS history.
Robinson was the head coach of the Whitecaps from December 2013 to September 2018. He remains as the only ‘Caps manager to coach a home MLS playoff game.
As he gets set to walk out onto pitch at BC Place as a member of the opposition on Saturday night, Robinson is trying not to get wrapped up in what type of reception he will get from Vancouver fans.
“Hopefully it’s a good one,” Robinson told Daily Hive following DC United’s training session in Vancouver on Friday. “I enjoyed my time here. I did as well as I could in the circumstances and I think we achieved some firsts. Who knows, it doesn’t really concern me.”
#VamosUnited Assistant Coach Carl Robinson on a sunny day in Vancouver.
Robbo makes his return to BC Place with DC United on Saturday night.
He spoke exclusively with @DailyHiveVan on a variety of topics.
More to come.#VANvDCU#MLS pic.twitter.com/toX0XDk8HH
— Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) September 29, 2023
In parts of five seasons as coach of the Whitecaps, Robinson compiled an MLS regular season record of 64-59-42 and a 78-71-50 record across all competitions.
Robinson is the only Whitecaps coach to guide the team to back-to-back MLS playoff appearances. Despite qualifying for the playoffs on three occasions, a long playoff run wasn’t in the cards. Vancouver was eliminated by Cascadia rivals in 2015 and 2017.
What stands out as a highlight for Robinson?
“The Canadian Cup the first time we won it,” Robinson said, referring to the Canadian Championship win Montreal in 2015. “I’m fortunate to win it as a player and a manager. One of the disappointments was getting to two (conference) semi-finals and missing out to the Cascadia teams, when I think we had the opportunity to try and get a little bit further, but you can’t look back, you’ve got to look forward.”
The 46-year-old helped play a key part in the growth and development of Alphonso Davies when he was a teenage prospect with the Whitecaps academy team.
As Davies continues to shine with Bayern Munich and the Canadian national team, Robinson can’t help but feel pride when he sees how far Davies has come.
“Brilliant, delighted,” Robinson said, when asked about Davies. “I was part of it but it was a number of people on the field and off the field that were a big part of his journey. I’m not surprised because we saw when he was a 15-year-old, he was doing things which you usually don’t see from 15-year-olds. I still think he’s got to continue to develop and I think he will continue to do that. He’s probably in the best place possible for him to continue his development.”
Davies is not the only player that Robinson worked with on and off the pitch. Whitecaps captain Russell Teibert has fond memories of Robinson when he was an assistant coach in 2013.
“I remember scoring my first goal, against the (LA) Galaxy,” Teibert told Daily Hive following training on Friday. “Robbo spent tons of hours with me. After I scored the goal I ran straight to the bench to see Robbo. We shared a ton of great memories at BC Place.”
If Robinson had an opportunity to go back, what would he do differently about his time as Whitecaps coach?
“What a question that is,” Robinson said. “Maybe win the lottery a few more times, because I might have had a better chance of winning.”
Robinson will have some company as former Whitecaps players, Cristian Dajome and Erik Hurtado are also returning to Vancouver. Dajome was traded to DC United in April.
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