FORMER Oxford, Charlton and MK Dons manager Karl Robinson is emerging as the bookmakers' favourite to take over at Tranmere.

Robinson is as little as 2/1 with some bookies to get the manager's job at Prenton Park following Micky Mellon's departure.

Liverpool-born Robinson has over a decade of experience in management despite being a relatively young 42-years-old. 

In that time, the former Liverpool youth coach has won automatic promotion from League One with MK Dons, after overseeing a period of steady progress, developing talents like Dele Alli.

His stock fell slightly after a mixed spell in London with Charlton Athletic but back-to-back Play-Off finishes with Oxford had restored his reputation before his recent sacking by the U's. 

Robinson was sacked by United on February 26, following a run of seven defeats in eight matches.

During his near five years with the U’s, Robinson led the club to the Sky Bet League One play-offs twice.

United lost the final to Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley in 2020, before defeat to Blackpool in the semi-finals the following campaign.

This season however saw the U’s mingle closer to the relegation zone, with the side sat 17th and six points above the drop zone following Robinson’s final game in charge.

He told the Official EFL Podcast: “I’ve got no gripes at all with what’s gone on at Oxford United, the results in the last two months were no way near good enough.

“I know 100 per cent that Oxford will not go down and I knew that because I have faith even though the results weren’t great.

“This year for Oxford United was one of the biggest transition years they would’ve gone through with ownership change, chairmanship change, a CEO coming in.

“It was all positive moving forward and it will be positive moving forward as well.”

Robinson told the podcast that he believes what happened in the last two transfer windows was significant in United’s woes this season.

Last summer saw Luke McNally and Mark Sykes complete moves to the Championship, in the form of Burnley and Bristol City respectively, while internationals Ryan Williams and Anthony Forde also departed the club.

In terms of recruitment, only former loanee Ciaron Brown has been a regular starter from the players signed in the summer, with Stuart Findlay and Djavan Anderson in and out of the side, while Yanic Wildschut and Josh Murphy have suffered with fitness issues.

Robinson said: “We had a horrendous transfer window, two really bad transfer windows and that fundamentally leaves you in that difficult situation where you’re fighting against the tide a little bit.

“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and I think we have put Oxford back on the map.”

Discussing his future, Robinson said: “There was one or two things I got phone calls for.

“I wasn’t ready and I just felt that what I’d gone through in the last six months was something that played on me a little bit personally.

“I wasn’t the same person away from football that I was in football.

“I do want to go abroad at some stage, I do want to learn a different culture and a different way of seeing things and doing things.

“But equally the EFL is the most exciting league anywhere.”