Sir Bobby Robson....senile?

:D
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/4075938.stm

Former England manager Sir Bobby Robson believes they can win the World Cup next year - and says Wayne Rooney could be the star of the tournament.
The World Cup finals in Germany are exactly a year away, and Robson is confident of England's chances.
He told BBC Sport: "We have a fine team and we weren't very far away in Portugal in 2004. I think we will be hard to beat and have every chance.
"In Rooney we have an artist. I think that boy is sensational."
England lost to Portugal on a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-final of the European Championship last year.
"We should've done better but were a bit unlucky," added Robson. "And our players should be better next year.
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Kiss of death all this talk. Has he also forgotten that many of the other teams will be in with a good shout, bringing young talent with them? Robinho, Podolkski........

England hasn't even qualified yet. :rolleyes:

They will qualify.
Rooney was arguably one of the best players at Euro2004, definitely one of the most promising. On paper they have a handy side, with Champions league experience right the way through. They should be among the favourites.

Having said that, they'll go out to a disputed goal in the second round and cry about that for a couple of years :D

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Originally Posted by Frank Blue

Kiss of death all this talk. Has he also forgotten that many of the other teams will be in with a good shout, bringing young talent with them? Robinho, Podolkski........

England hasn't even qualified yet. :rolleyes:

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Surely it's a good thing that they are hyping themselves up already? Only make it sweeter when the inevitable happens :D

in fairness to them they have probably the best starting 11 in europe imo anwyway. and if we were in their positiion we would be going on about qualifiying , i would be very very surprised if they didnt top their group.

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Originally Posted by Macy

Surely it's a good thing that they are hyping themselves up already? Only make it sweeter when the inevitable happens :D

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Probably slow news concerning England, so someone thought they would ask someone with a high profile for a few quotes. Bit silly really at this stage, considering England aren't there yet, but Germany (obviously) and Argentina (3-1 over Brazil) are.
I think most England fans won't be believing this talk either, just yet.

IMO Germany look quite good, if Klinsi sorts the defence out into an established formation and lineup.

this is hardly anything new, same guff every time a tournament comes round, well be sure to hear a lot more as the WC approaches

hardly their fault though , i mean most of them dont know that a lot of people in ireland are in thrall to the british media so they think they are just writing for their own fans.

Funny true story about Bobby "Hundreds" as some call him!

A young girl goes up to Bobby Robson while he is doing a book signing of his autobiography in Newcastle, he was still the manager of Newcastle at the time.

Anyway, she hands him her book to sign and politely asks "So have you signed many books today Mr Robson?" "Hundreds" he says as he scribbles away on the book.

He hands her the book and smiles as she says thank you.

She get's outside the door and opens her book excitedly only to find his note saying...

To A.N. Other

From Bobby Hundreds.


Funnier being told rather than written but you can't help but love the old fella! The old brain is definately slowing down!! :D

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Originally Posted by Frank Blue

:D
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/4075938.stm

Former England manager Sir Bobby Robson believes they can win the World Cup next year - and says Wayne Rooney could be the star of the tournament.
The World Cup finals in Germany are exactly a year away, and Robson is confident of England's chances.
He told BBC Sport: "We have a fine team and we weren't very far away in Portugal in 2004. I think we will be hard to beat and have every chance.
"In Rooney we have an artist. I think that boy is sensational."
England lost to Portugal on a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-final of the European Championship last year.
"We should've done better but were a bit unlucky," added Robson. "And our players should be better next year.
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Kiss of death all this talk. Has he also forgotten that many of the other teams will be in with a good shout, bringing young talent with them? Robinho, Podolkski........

England hasn't even qualified yet. :rolleyes:

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whats wiht the Sir ******. this is a republic

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Originally Posted by anto eile

whats wiht the Sir ******. this is a republic

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the article is from the BBC :confused:

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Originally Posted by gustavo

hardly their fault though , i mean most of them dont know that a lot of people in ireland are in thrall to the british media so they think they are just writing for their own fans.

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Well would be true, if it wasn't for non English brits.

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Originally Posted by Macy

Well would be true, if it wasn't for non English brits.

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But to many of the little Englanders British and English are one and the same...
As a non English brit I learned to ignore this sort of thing a long time ago. They (sports commentators and pundits) used to wind me up and make me support anyone England was playing against. I decided that they were controlling me (and I didn't like the person I became - filled with bile and bitterness) so I choose to ignore that section of the media. Now I spend my time being smug about elephant polo - how about that for glory hunting?

irish people do it aswell though

sample conversation i had with a celtic fan

\\celtic fan : god i hate those brits

me : but celtic are british

\\celtic fan : no we are irish !

me : who were the first british team to win the european cup

\\celtic : us ..... doh .

I'd rate Holland, Argentina, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Brazil as better teams on paper maybe even the Czechs too. The English team always has a tendancy to fail when the big tests come, I cant see this WC being any different... the last time they looked like serious contenders for a WC extinct teams like West Germany and the Soviet Union were playing ... and Robson was their manager.

My fav Bobby Robson story is that when Shola Ameobi was called up to the England U-21 side, David Platt was the manager, and asked him if he had a nickname he could call him during a game, Ameobi was too long to shout (or something along those lines), he doesn't have a nickname, so he asked what do your mates call you "Just Shola", so Platty asks "What does Bobby Robson call you", to which our hero replies "Bobby Robson calls me Carl Cort!!"

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Originally Posted by Conor74

Player for player, England are one of the stronger teams around. But have serious doubts about Sven, and they have a history of being utter crap. For example, I would always fancy our chances against them more so than us v Argentina or Brazil...

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You're watching too much Premiership hype. England doesn't have a decent goalie, Ashley Cole is way over rated as are Campbell and Ferdinand. Centre midfield isgood with Lampard, Rooney and Gerrard but Beckham is passed it and Owen has been warming the bench for most of the season in Spain. I don't think they'll be any closer to winning it than before and they always go expecting to win it. A good side but not a great side :D

The way football tournaments are going at the moment you can have the best starting 11 in the world and still fail.These days any team that qualifies for the World Cup can be in with a shout of winning it,thats why I have put a few bob on us winning ;), oh,and to cover my bets I also have a few bob on the Czechs :p

Have to agree with old Bobby, England could win the WC. They will not be the favourites but defo top 4 (on paper).

In fairness you have to acknowledge England have a good team, a strong central defence with Terry/Ferdinand/Campbell, Lampard is a strong midfielder as is Gerrard and Beckham when they want to be. What England lack is ironically what we have, a creative winger and a top class goalkeeper.

If i had to tip a team for the WC now, it prob would be Holland but they somehow always manage to fcuk up.

If England had a manager with a bit more balls they would have a great chance but with Sven in charge they just can't cut it.

:D :D :D :D

Old snowflake (christened by Barca fans after the famous white gorrilla at the city's zoo) said they were going to win the 1988 European Championships.

Who put the ball in England net? Arffa!

Who put the ball in the England net? Arffaf*ckin Europe!

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Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

What they need is a Keano type character to deliver some on-the-spot management on the day - and they don't have it.
That's why they'll be semi-finalists at best in 2006.

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When did Robbie go into the management business ?

You're all overrating England because of the hype that goes with the Premiership. Nothing creative on the flanks, poor goalie and some ordinary full backs. Last 8 is as far as they'll go.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Last 8 is as far as they'll go.

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Statements like that are pointless IMO. Who knows how far they'll go :confused:

They might get a tricky group (should they qualify in the first place) and get stuffed like in Euro 2000 or they might get a p!ss easy time of it and go all the way. Please God they get stuffed anyway whatever happens.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

You're all overrating England because of the hype that goes with the Premiership.

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Oh how true. Yes the Scum are capable of 'ripping' into other teams, but as was shown in Spain (and I was always led to believe by the same meedja that hype up the tans that it was the Spanish who were more likely to be the lazy b*stards, so none of this 'they weren't up for it' sh*te) that sort of 'ripping' in doesn't really work in football. They were totally p*ss awfull that night and if I can remember barely got a shot on target. They might not get any worse but they can hardly become worldbeaters either

Far from Sven being this cr*p manager that we are all (now) led to believe, I think he has got the most out of them. The problem lies in that there is only so much even a half decent coach can do before his tactics etc. are rumbled. Let's see what the best English manager would achieve, not that I think there will be one for a long time. In the meantime I'm predicting (and, of course, hoping for) an early exit - like France in Japan - for next year (if they get there). A team as sh*t as them is due one soon. :D

i wish we were **** like them then and cruising in our group . :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by gustavo

i wish we were **** like them then and cruising in our group . :rolleyes:

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Beaten them twice and drawn three times since 1988. No need for the inferiority complex. :rolleyes: