Everybody loved Sir Bobby Robson!

August 1st, 2009 | by: Jan | Comments(7)

The BBC Radio was filled with tears for 24 hours, yesterday. Seldom so many grown up men cried so much. Ex players, internationals, Newcastle supporters… they couldn’t keep it dry.

And who didn’t love the guy? Sir Bobby Robson… BBC anchor and ex England player Gary Lineker said Robson was by far the warmest and most passionate coach he’d ever worked with.
“No one had more charisma. For him only, you’d run through a brick wall.”

Robert William Robson (76) died last Thursday and stopped a kingdom. Everyone knew he was losing his battle against cancer, but when his death was announced, the world was in shock.

Ex PSV chairman Harry van Raaij was informed by the NOS and said he needed to process the news before he’d comment on the passing of one of his biggest football friends.

Robson coached England to the semis in the WC in Italy (1990), he won the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup with Muhren and Thijssen’s Ispwich Town, won titles and a cup with Porto and Barcelona but in Holland we mainly know him through two unforgettable stints at PSV Eindhoven.

He clashed and laughed with Romario. Erik Gerets, Gerald Vanenburg, Berry van Aerle and Stan Valckx were seen rolling over the floor giggling like girls, but he did win two titles. The Herdgang – PSV’s training complex – seemed Fawlty Towers, at times. Robson would play golf on the training pitch, he’s borrow sugar from the players’ home because he didn’t know the way to the shops and fumbled players’ names, but he did that throughout his whole career.

He once came into the breakfast room of a hotel, when he coached England and greeted skipper Bryan Robson with the words: “mornin’ Bobby”. Robson would say: “No boss, you are Bobby”, which prompted Robson to reply: “Don’t bullshit me, I never forget a name, Steve.”

In terms of tactics, he was uncomplicated and his passion did the rest. He’d never speak negatively about a player nor would he criticize clubs that had let him go. Although he wasn’t always treated with respect. At Fulham, he read in the newspaper on the way to the club that he was no longer in a job: “Robson sacked!”.

Whatever happened, he radiated warmth. An ambassador to football. Fifty million England fans got goosebumps when he went over to Paul Gascoigne to console him after the lost semi finals. When he received his career prize two years back from the BBC, he received a ten minute ovation.

PSV team manager Mart van den Heuvel: “His great strength was keeping a team together. Robson could do that anywhere. I think he’d even manage to do it at the current Real Madrid.”

“I remember a moment in the 98-99 season. We had just secured European football against Utrecht. It was party time in the dressing room and Robson phone rang. He wanted us to be quiet, he said it was the Pope. He’d asked the Pope for spiritual support in our last game and he needed to thank the man for that.”

Ajax’ Martin Jol responded to Robson’s death on Friday: “He’s a true football legend. He had something special that is hard to describe but he instilled that magic into all the teams he coached and he almost always won prizes with his teams. That’s unique.”

It was thanks to Robson that Martin Jol went from Twente to West Bromwich in 1982. “I later heard that Robson had seen me play and tipped me to a mate.” Jol would later also play for Coventry City.

“I knew Robson was very ill, but still this news…it’s comes as a shock. Robson was a fighter and he would always show himself in public. You’d think he’d live forever. He was truly a unique man.”

PSV center back Ooijer also cherishes warm memories. Ooijer played under Robson in the 98-99 season, when the Englishman had his second stint at PSV. “He was wonderful in my aspects. He was a tremendously warm human being, didn’t appear to have an ego. There was always that sly English humor but as a trainer he was very good too. People always say he wasn’t that good in tactics, but that wasn’t it. I think he felt tactics were overrated. I remember someone talking to Robson about our team tactics and he said: “That’s all well in good, but who will tell our opponent that we want them to respond like you say that might…”. He was wise and funny… And he paid attention. Real attention. I remember having a chat about football with him and I actually thought that he would go home and think “whatever”, but the next day he came to me and addressed some things I said to him…”

Technical manager Jan Reker of PSV praised his passion and love for the game. “He was great. Really wonderful, always smiling and always positive. Players simply adored him. I remember his last words before a game. Any game… He’d always say “Enjoy yourselves…”. Some players would really stop for a second when they heard that for the first time. Not many coaches express that right before kick off.”

Former Spurs and England player and ex-team manager Glenn Hoddle: This is a sad day for football. He was the man responsible for coaching us as close as we got in 40 years to the World Title. He was that good. Just a tad more luck and composure doing penalty kicks and we would have made it all the way.”

Sir Bobby grew up as a mine worker’s son in the North of England. His big love was Newcastle United. A week ago, he paid a last visit to his club in a wheelchair. 35.000 grown up men rised as one and gave him another standing ovation. His words: “I lived a charmed life since I was able to fill it with football.”

Bobby Robson is survived by his wife Elsie and his three sons, Andrew, Paul and Mark.