Though he enjoyed a brilliant playing career as an inside forward, it is for his stellar management that Sir Bobby Robson is still fondly remembered. 1967 was the year that Robson was appointed manager of the Vancouver Royal Canadians, marking the start of what would be a 37-year career in management.
After a brief stint with Fulham in 1968, Robson became manager of Ipswich Town in 1969, a role he would hold for 13 years. With a focus on bringing players through from the youth academy, Robson guided the Tractor Boys to an FA Cup and UEFA Cup before, in 1982, he was chosen to replace Ron Greenwood as England coach.
Robson failed to guide England to the 1984 European Championships but succeeded in taking the Three Lions to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. England were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Argentina in a game that saw Maradona hit the heights of both brilliance and controversy.
After a group-stage exit from Euro 1988, the World Cup in 1990 marked Robson’s final tournament in charge of England, in which he guided them to a semi-final for the first time since the days of Sir Alf Ramsey. From England, Robson began a tour around Europe, managing PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona.
In 1999, Robson joined his boyhood club, Newcastle United, where he spent the final five years of his managerial career. By 2003, Robson had taken the Magpies from rock bottom of the Premier League to qualifying for the Champions League, though the club would ultimately compete in the UEFA Cup.
Robson is, without question, one of the best managers England has ever produced. Back in 2007, two years before his death, Robson wrote an article for The Daily Mail in which he named the two greatest players from Great Britain that he coached in his career.
‘My Best British Players’
High praise for pair from Robson
Given the path of his coaching career, Robson worked with many English talents over the years, be it on a club or international level. The manager revealed that Ronaldo, who Robson brought to Barcelona, was the best player that he ever worked with, though later detailed which British players were of a similar rank. Robson said:
“(Alan) Shearer and Bryan Robson were my best British players, although it might have been Kevin Beattie had it not been for injuries.”
The Premier League’s all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer enjoyed a remarkable career. The striker debuted for Southampton in 1988, moving to Blackburn Rovers in 1992 where, within a four-year stint at the club, he won his only Premier League title. Shearer joined his hometown club Newcastle United in 1996, working with Robson for the entirety of his tenure.
Bryan Robson, meanwhile, played for Robson the manager on international duty, serving as captain of the Three Lions for much of his time with his country, which spanned between 1980 and 1991. Domestically, after six years with West Bromwich Albion, Robson joined Manchester United, where he earned the nickname “Captain Marvel” for his exceptional displays between 1981 and 1994.
Robson also noted that, were it not for injuries, then defender Kevin Beattie could well have been named in place of Shearer and Robson. Beattie was forced to retire in 1981 at just 28 years old but when fit, had been a consistent part of the Ipswich Town first team under Robson, with many regarding him as one of his generation’s best when not sidelined.
Such a statement is already a high level of praise, but especially so when coming from a manager as revered as Robson.
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