KARL Robinson wants to set down some ground rules with Oxford United’s board for future transfer windows.

It comes after the head coach made it clear a line had been drawn under the speculation over the approach from Blackpool this week.

A phone call with Sumrith ‘Tiger’ Thanakarnjanasuth smoothed over the issue of United rejecting the request from the Tangerines without informing Robinson.

The U’s boss said: “My only thing was not knowing and not being able to be straight with people after the game.

“I’ve been around long enough to not let something like this affect me in relation to a build-up to a game, but I respect the reasons why now.

“Everything’s sorted.”

However, the conversation did not answer all of Robinson’s questions, having publicly asked the board for assurances of their ambition.

Much of it revolves around looking to avoid a repeat of the January transfer window’s final stages, when Shandon Baptiste and Tariqe Fosu were sold to Brentford while attempts to strengthen fell flat.

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The head coach is due to speak to the board next week and while he is realistic about United’s need to keep selling players, he is keen to agree a structure around it.

He said: “Hopefully we can all sit down and come up with a plan.

“For instance, if we’re going to sell players, then OK but 20 per cent has to go back in to buying another player.

“Nothing’s set down at the moment.

“We were all involved in the Shandon and the Tariqe deal.

“The big thing for us is cut-off times, so no-one gets sold after a certain day in any window.

“I think if all the agents and players know in the lead up to it that this is where we’re going to be you can set the wheels in motion now, so if it does come after that period then no, you’re not going.

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“There are so many things internally we know we’ve got to get right.

“If you look at the staff behind the scenes, we’re probably about 20 per cent down in the last two years from people who have gone and not been replaced.”

Robinson was quick to point out progress had been made compared to 12 months ago, when United were regularly being hit with winding-up petitions, but knows no-one can afford to stand still.

He said: “We have to see improvement, year-in, year-out.

“That’s one of the messages from the board to me, they have to see improvement in how we build the team as well.

“Those constants have to keep running through everything that we’re trying to achieve.

“There’s some big hitters on our board and I don’t think they will just settle for where we’re at (in future).

“That’s the bit that fuels all of our fires.”