Robins says it has to be the 'right thing' to bring in new January signing

PETE SMITH SPEAKS TO MARK ROBINS ON PLANS TO STRENGTHEN... AND WHERE THE ACADEMY FITS IN

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MARK Robins doesn't give a quick soundbite answer when he's asked about Stoke City's potential for business in the January transfer window.

Stoke have outperformed expectations, at least from the outside, in the first half of the season, and head into their 22nd game sitting seventh in the table, one point off the playoff places and two points off third.

In the past three Januarys it has been a time for panic at the wrong end of the table and the need to fill a vacancy at either goalkeeper or centre-forward.

This time it is probably more about opportunities, both in terms of what is available at an affordable price and because the league table is so tight. Even if Stoke get better next summer and next season, when will the door be open like this for the top six?

The club is still constrained by profit and sustainability rules - the Championship will soon have a vote on whether to adopt a squad ratio cost system for next season - but there are many layers or dominoes about what could happen next month.

Robins said: "It's not straightforward. We all look at it and say if we do this, this and this we'll be fine and we'll be in the playoffs or even better. It doesn't work like that.

"We have to accept our reality is different and we have to work really hard to do what we might want to do in January. Being able to execute that is another thing as well.

"There's no point in just doing something. It has to be the right thing. Unless we can improve the squad and we can afford to do that there isn’t any point in doing it.