SIR BOBBY ROBSON
Sir Bobby Robson – A Tribute to The second best England Manager we have ever had
by Doug Martin
Sir Bobby Robson died last month (31 July 2009) after a long battle with cancer. I will miss him as he gave me the most memorable time watching England, i.e. the world cup of 1990 (which we should have won).
He had a long playing career with Fulham & West Brom and ended his career with Vancouver in Canada. He Found Managerial fame with Ipswich Town where he won the FA Cup (1978) & the UEFA Cup (1981). They should have won more in 1981 as they were runners up in the league in to Aston Villa after they had lost 2-1 at Middlesbrough on the last day of the season to let in Villa (they lost 2-0 at Arsenal). That season they also reached the FA Cup Semi's but lost 1-0 to Manchester City in Extra time. The amount of games they were playing caught up with them but it was a fantastic effort. For several seasons they were in the top half of the table & constantly qualifying for Europe. To Put this into some sort of perspective you only have to look at Ipswich's record since Robson left to take the England Job in 1982. They were relegated in 1986 and have spent most of that time since in the second division. It is no wonder that they have built a statue to Bobby in recent years outside the ground.
His England time as manager was marked by constant press pressure, esp after England failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championships in France. He in fact offered to resign so that the people's choice “Brian Clough” could take over but the FA declined because they hated Clough. This is difficult for me to comment on because I am a massive fan of Brian Clough (RIP) and also Mr Robson. What would have happened if Brian Clough had taken over? We will never know? I
In 1986 England reached the quarter final of the world cup in Mexico where they were cheated by Maradonna's Bloody hand. Much has been made of this and some people have said that England would have lost anyway especially as the little genius's second goal was world class (it was) but they miss the point in that the score was 0-0 half way through the second half and we were holding Argentina in a pretty dour game up to then. Again, we will never know.
After the dreadful 1988 European championships in Germany when England lost all three games the press went into overdrive against him. They never let up, even when England qualified from a difficult group without conceding a goal. They carried on into the tournament as well & only stopped when we beat Cameron in the quarter final to meet Germany in the semi-final. In a fantastic performance England went out on pen's. It was heartbreak, esp for me and the country. I feel to this day that we would have beat Argentina in the final if lady luck had been with us in the match against Germany. Mr Robson himself always felt this as well & who am I to disagree.
Robson left the England post after 1990 due to the FA not renewing his contract. This was done purely because of the crap been written about him in the press. Well done lads? Funny that the press didn't tell you that when he died in their tributes to him.
After England he went to PSV in Holland where he won the Dutch title twice & then Sporting Lisbon where he was famously sacked when they were top of the table in November. Porto who weren't as stupid as the Sporting chairman took him on as their manager. He rewarded them by beating his former club Sporting in the Cup final & then taking Porto to the title three times. It must be added that it took Sporting around 10 years to win the title again.
Barcelona hired him next from Porto (who obviously didn't want him to go) and he won the Spanish cup & European Cup winners Cup in his first season. He was moved upstairs however, as they didn't win the title.
In 1999 he returned home to manage his local club Newcastle United who he had supported as a boy. In his first game in charge they thrashed Sheffield Wednesday 8-0. They reached the FA Cup semi that season as well but were unlucky to lose to Chelsea 2-1. They came 4th, 3rd & 5th in the next three seasons but the Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd obviously hadn't learned from Robson's previous chairman because he sacked him in 2004 after a bad start to the season (it was only August). I don't need to tell anyone where Newcastle are now. In fact, the most remarkable thing to Robson's sacking was that Shepherd appointed Graham Souness as his successor. That was bobby Robson's last Full time job in football.
The man was a gentleman in a time when there are very few around let alone in football. He was a man of his word unlike a lot of people he worked for. He got England to a World Cup semi & only Alf Ramsey bettered his record but he was on home soil. The press gave this honourable man a terrible time and they should hang their heads in shame.
I will always remember 1990. Robson & his England team against the world and the press and they nearly did it. I don't suspect we will see that happen again in my lifetime, well apart from the press side anyway.
The way things are going they will be putting a statue of him outside St James Park.
Rest in Peace Bobby Robson.
Doug Martin 24th August 2009
dapmartin@hotmail.co.uk
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