Robson's Comments on Football Focus

**JimmyP** · 03/04/2006, 11:57 PM

Bobby Robson was on Football Focus last Saturday and was asked about who should get the England job, and was saying:
"The job is about experience, make no mistake about it. I keep reading one or two people saying 'well, you know, it's not a man for experience' - really? It is a position for a man with great experience...because if you're going into the European Championships or a World Cup match with very little experience, and you're 2-0 down at half-time, you need experience."

Now, given that we know Robson isn't sitting in the Irish dugout, does this not contradict things a bit?

He also made an interesting comment at the end of the interview about he's sure John Delaney would understand if he was offered a job like Real Madrid.

You can view the interview from here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...us/default.stm

**greatbleddyman** · 04/04/2006, 8:50 AM

Wouldn't worry too much about the John delaney comment- was really tongue in cheek.

I did think it was odd what he said about the need for experience; really undermined his "gaffer" didn't it?

**Jerry The Saint** · 04/04/2006, 8:59 AM

Originally Posted by JimmyP

Bobby Robson was on Football Focus last Saturday and was asked about who should get the England job, and was saying:
"The job is about experience, make no mistake about it. I keep reading one or two people saying 'well, you know, it's not a man for experience' - really? It is a position for a man with great experience...because if you're going into the European Championships or a World Cup match with very little experience, and you're 2-0 down at half-time, you need experience."

Now, given that we know Robson isn't sitting in the Irish dugout, does this not contradict things a bit?

He also made an interesting comment at the end of the interview about he's sure John Delaney would understand if he was offered a job like Real Madrid.

You can view the interview from here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...us/default.stm

I found those comments very interesting myself. He also said something along the lines that it was important the new England manager was English.

Not sure how this sits with the situation here where a native coach with zero experience is consulted by a foreign coach with massive experience, considering the public line taken by FAI/Staunton/Robson is that it will be the guy with zero experience who will be calling the shots when we're "2-0 down at half-time" in an important game.

**Dodge** · 04/04/2006, 9:13 AM

Well he obviously does believe that. He was also unemployed and was offered a job, so its not like he was contradicting himself or anything when he took up the Ireland job.

Just shows the ridiculousness of the Irish appointments IMO

**DmanDmythDledge** · 04/04/2006, 9:40 AM

He comments were understandable. After all, he wasn't the one that decided to employ an inexperienced manager.

**pete** · 04/04/2006, 11:06 AM

I don't understand - sure Robson has loads of experience to be the irish boss...

**Poor Student** · 04/04/2006, 11:13 AM

The England job does have a lot more pressure than the Ireland job. Greater media pressure, more fans, dealing with players of a bigger stature in general, greater expectations etc. He was probably rattling out some clich�s too. He's also known for not saying the most sensible things. I wouldn't think too much about it.

**drinkfeckarse** · 04/04/2006, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by dmandmythdledge

He comments were understandable. After all, he wasn't the one that decided to employ an inexperienced manager.

Good point. It just shows that's his personal opinion.

**Qwerty** · 04/04/2006, 11:18 PM

But Stan is experienced!! he has been to 3 World Cups as a player and one as captain, he knows international football, he has played over 100 games for Ireland. Can Allardyce, Curbishley or McClaren match that?? Maybe Bobby was suggesting Stan might be the right man for the England job

Come the next WC, Stan will have 4 years of management experience.

**bluemovie** · 05/04/2006, 9:15 AM

Bobby suggested that Stuart Pearce (who would have a similar amount of playing experience as Stan) is too inexperienced for international management yet saying he'll be the next manager after this summer's appointment. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had Staunton still been at Walsall when Merson was sacked. My guess is that he'd have been considered too inexperienced for a big League One job. Nobody could have been shouting louder for the team against Sweden than me, but in my heart of hearts, I still think it was the wrong decision to appoint Steve.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 10/04/2006, 6:43 AM

Originally Posted by Qwerty

But Stan is experienced!! he has been to 3 World Cups as a player and one as captain, he knows international football, he has played over 100 games for Ireland. Can Allardyce, Curbishley or McClaren match that?? Maybe Bobby was suggesting Stan might be the right man for the England job

Come the next WC, Stan will have 4 years of management experience.

Gazza has a similar amount of experience but I wouldn't put him in charge of a toddlers team!