Where will Robson sit?

**paul_oshea** · 16/01/2006, 2:36 PM

Being completely serious here, but i am confused by the title International Football Consultant.

So where will robson sit at football matches? will he even attend if he is only a "International Football Consultant", as I am sure most of you agree that term is very loose, and it leads me to think that is exactly why they have used this term, so it cant be defined, to prevent the press from stirring things if robson has a more/less impact/involvement than some think.
No one has actually "stated" his exact role.

so where will he sit at matches and will he be in constant contact with staunton during matches???? i dont think anyone here will be able to answer my question but i will endeavour to ask...

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 2:41 PM

He is goint to be the assistant, simple as that in my view. But they thought that the term assistant was inappropriate for a 72 year old so they came up with this rubbish term. Just PR spin by the FAI in my view. But he is replacing Chris Hughton in my view.

**colster** · 16/01/2006, 2:45 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

so where will he sit at matches

on a chair

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 3:09 PM

Sir Bobby Robson, the mentor in the new Republic of Ireland management set-up, says he will help new boss Steve Staunton however he is asked in the task of rebuilding the team for the forthcoming European Championship qualification series.

Robson, who turns 73 next month, fills a newly-created role of international football consultant in Staunton’s backroom team.

The former PSV, Barcelona and Newcastle United boss, who declared he will call Staunton “Stan” or “Boss”, will help the new man in a wide range of ways, from scouting reports to training games and discreet advice.

Robson, who admits he has been impressed by the new Ireland manager over the past week, considering the fact that the job is the Dundalk man’s first in management, told Monday’s Mansion House press conference: “I’m here for Stan, in whichever way he sees fit. I’m not going to go in and try to be the boss. I’m not jealous, I don’t want Stan’s job.

“I’ll work closely with Stan, I’ll be on his shoulder, in training games and whatever. If I see something that’s lacking, something that needs to be done, I’ll tell him. If Stan takes it on board, great. If he says ‘I hear what you’re saying, but I disagree’, then fine.

“For the last 35 years or so, I’ve been on the football field and taking training and that’s my forte. But there are other aspects to international football, and I’ll be there to do whatever Stan asks of me.

“We’ve got to try to get Ireland back up to where we were a few years ago. We’ve slipped a bit in the rankings, but we want to start climbing that again. We need to be qualifying for big tournaments, not failing. The Republic of Ireland knocked Holland out a few years ago. I’ve worked in Holland, and I know how much that means.

"I’ve got to know Stan a little bit more in this last week. I watched him many times as a great player, for Liverpool and Aston Villa. He played more than 100 times for his country, I think that proves you’re a legend and you’re a master in your own right.

"The draw for the European Champs takes places at the end of the month. We’ll be fourth seed so it will be difficult, but we’re not afraid. We need to spread our net to try to get more players, looking to young players coming through who we need to discover. There’s an awful lot of work to do, but we’re not afraid of it.

“As an Englishman who managed his country for a little while, I would love to bring happiness and contentedness to Irish supporters. We’re not looking back, we’re looking forward, and I can’t wait.

“We’ll give everything we can to the cause, we want to be successful for everyone in Ireland, and we need everyone behind us

**Karlos** · 16/01/2006, 3:14 PM

Bobby is a shining example of a real top coach, what a fantastic group of quotes from him and what a shoulder he'll be for Stan. I'm over the moon that he will be working for us going forward.

**Tired&Emotional** · 16/01/2006, 3:19 PM

I love Bobby's liberal use of the word "we".......understandable I know but just sounds a bit odd having also pointed out that he's an Englishman whose managed his country for a little while....i've no problem with it, funny is all!!!

I would see him sitting in the stand however with McDonald and Kelly beside Stan in the dugout...?

**deadman** · 16/01/2006, 3:20 PM

it was somewhat sad to see Bobby in the press conference today.

a man with a great past and great experience finding himself in this situation because he's desperate to stay in the game

i'd love to see them be a success ... for themselves ... as well as for us,

**Karlos** · 16/01/2006, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by deadman

i'd love to see them be a success ... for themselves ... as well as for us,

I'd second that

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 3:25 PM

I think Robson will have a role that is very similar to Hughton in my view. Robsons expertise is on the training ground.

**Tired&Emotional** · 16/01/2006, 3:31 PM

That said Neil McD, what would McDonald's function be on the training pitch, where does he fit in to the love triangle?

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 3:34 PM

Well At Utd they have Ferguson, Quieroz and Pheland

Kerr had Hughton and O Reilly

O Neill had Robertson and Walford.

I am sure there is numerous examples were there are 3 or 4 people in the coaching set up. I think England have Mc Claren and Sammy Lee too

**klein4** · 16/01/2006, 3:39 PM

"bizarre love triangle" maybe that should be the song the team comes out to..
Robsons role will be like the mate you text at pub quizzes for answers and then high five yourself that you are so smart. so dunno where that means he sits.....at home watchin eastenders??????

beep! beep!

**Karlos** · 16/01/2006, 3:40 PM

Almost every single club in world football will have three coaches on the training field at the same time. I've seen upwards of five working on one group of players at the highest level and it's imperative to have such numbers so that people can look at different aspects of the sesisons (eg. defending as a unit, working on attack play etc) and also so that people can prepare training areas to ensure seemless transititions from one activity to the next.

There's nothing out of the ordinary having 3 people coaching at the highest level (or even the lowest level if the club is forward thinking enough!).

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 3:44 PM

Its seems that people who have a bit of knowledge about the game are responding to this in a fairly mature and rational way. However those that can barely string 2 sentences together are posting the usualy tripe.

I posted this in a previous thread and I think its suitable for this thread.

"It seems pretty clear now that Staunton is the man in charge and that Robson is his assistant in everything but name. If this is the case well then I suppose Robson is a higher calibre assistant than Hughton in relation to experience and tactical nous, and also we have to remember that Kerr and Hughton did not know each other either before they worked together for Ireland but no big hoo haa was created over that appointment. The reason for that is timing. I think if Staunton was announced as the the manager last week and today was the first we heard that he was going to have Robson as his assistant I think the reaction would have been different. "

**Karlos** · 16/01/2006, 3:59 PM

a very good point on the "knowing each other" idea, Neil - it's been quickly forgot that the same was in place with Hughton. In fact the set-up in some ways is very similar when you think about it with Robson coming in as Hughton did and McDonald coming in a similar way to O'Reilly.

My opinion on this for what it's worth is I don't think coaches and managers need to know each other well or even like each other in some bizarre incidents, to work effectively. There's plently of teams even at the moment having great success with coaches that never worked together before forming a coaching team - Wenger & Rice, Mourniho & Clarke, Ferguson & Querioz, Allerdyce & Lee to name a few.....

I'm genuinely excited to see how it all works out. Robson is an idol for me in the coaching world. Without the appointment of Robson, I'm not sure I'd be as positive as i am now. I think we still mightn't have good enough players to qualify but can't see it being a result of the coaching team not trying their best to achieve it as Kerr did. While I'd be the first to admit O'Neill was probably my first choice, the more I think about it, I'm not sure if he would be any more likely to succeed with the players we have than Stan & Bobby. It all remains to be seen. I'm not going to slate the FAI over the actual appointment just yet. (how it was handled etc is an entirely different matter).

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 4:02 PM

Hey Karlos you are just robbing my points that I made previously. Get your own points

**klein4** · 16/01/2006, 4:03 PM

Get A Rooom!!!!!!!

**Tired&Emotional** · 16/01/2006, 4:05 PM

Originally Posted by KarlosIRL

Almost every single club in world football will have three coaches on the training field at the same time. I've seen upwards of five working on one group of players at the highest level and it's imperative to have such numbers so that people can look at different aspects of the sesisons (eg. defending as a unit, working on attack play etc) and also so that people can prepare training areas to ensure seemless transititions from one activity to the next.

There's nothing out of the ordinary having 3 people coaching at the highest level (or even the lowest level if the club is forward thinking enough!).

...in humble submission

However was listening to Dunphy Giles and Brady on Newstalk106 last friday morning and this was a question which was discussed. "It'll be a crowded training pitch!" they agreed. this would be in terms of footballing styles/ideas, i guess, as Staunton and Robson have never worked together previous and therefore perhaps have different football philosophies. In some of the examples given above (Fergie/Mike Phelan & ONeill/Robertson) these managers & coaches have a good working knowledge of each other and therefore similar ideas of how they see the game being played...

So "a bit of knowledge" might not have looked at it from all angles and compare setups that are not, in fact, the same

**Stuttgart88** · 16/01/2006, 4:06 PM

Between them, this management team has all the qualities required. It's a question of whether the individuals complement each other or whether it becomes a case of "too many cooks". As a natural optimist I see no reason why it can't be a case of "many hands make light work". I'm also very excited about some of the emerging talent and I for one can't wait for the draw for the Euros.

**NeilMcD** · 16/01/2006, 4:06 PM

Sorry Klein if you find the idea that people can agree on this forum so sickening. Karlos clearly knows what he is talking about when it comes to coaching etc, the only thing that lets him down is the club that he supports. I for one respect people on this forum that have intelligent and well argued points and if they clearly know what they are talking about.