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Sir Bobby Robson Speaks


Tooj

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I thought this was deserving of its own thread.

 

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/article-1053136/If-Wise-wont-club-needs-too.html

 

In my contract as Newcastle United manager, there was a clause that said I had to live within 20 miles of St James' Park. These days the worry for Newcastle fans, myself included, is that the football side is being run by a man 300 miles away.

 

It is no surprise that Kevin Keegan left this week. For a proud manager like him, it must have been impossible to work under the control of Dennis Wise. First of all, the director of football was more powerful than the manager, which should never be the case. And secondly, they did not work in unison, which means communicating face to face. How could they, when Kevin was there at the club, and Wise was not?

 

My view is quite clear. You cannot work for Newcastle United from the other end of the country. Dennis Wise has to be based in Newcastle, meeting the manager regularly, talking to him, understanding what he wants. If he will not do that and put the club first by moving north, you have to get rid of him.

 

I don't care about telephones or computers, they are no substitute for being on the spot, finding out firsthand what the club needs. You had the feeling that Kevin's problem was that Dennis, Tony Jimenez and the other cohorts did not know or care what Kevin wanted.

 

It reminded me of a pre-season match at Doncaster. I was sitting at the back of the stand and Dennis, who had watched the first half much nearer the front, accidentally tried to take my seat when I had popped away for a half-time cup of tea. His reasons later became clear to me: he wanted to slip out unnoticed 10 minutes into the second half. At such a crucial time for watching and learning, as pre-season is, I was surprised - I would have thought he would have wanted to watch the game to the end, and talk with Kevin about where the team needed strengthening.

 

The breakdown between the different job titles has left Newcastle in disarray and it is time for Mike Ashley to sort it out. The owner or chairman is the most important person at a football club, the manager is second and everyone else third. If a director of football does not have the blessing of the manager, it does not work. West Ham proved that last week, when Alan Curbishley took a principled stand after being mucked around once too often.

 

You cannot imagine Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger or Rafa Benitez being handed players they did not know anything about. And no manager worth his salt is going to take the Newcastle job with the current set-up.

 

Can you imagine Alan Shearer or Steve Bruce being given Xisco or a player called Gonzalez they had never seen or heard of? Nor can I, which is why I fear neither proud Geordie would consider the job at the moment with Wise all-powerful. Newcastle fans are famous for their loyalty and passion but it is wearing thin after the events of this week. The first home game against Bolton was not a full house, which is unheard of. I am sure when Ashley saw the figure, he would have been a worried man.

 

There are calls for a boycott for the next home game against Hull City. I have to say I will be there to try to give the players my support, even if it means tearing out what little is left of my hair (recent radiotheraphy treatment has caused most of it to fall out!). But I understand the mood of the public. They are thinking, like me: What a mess.

 

Ashley and the Newcastle hierarchy could not have been kinder or more supportive to me since they took over. They have given me a season ticket and made sure I am treated royally when I go to St James' Park. But this column is being written as a Newcastle fan, one who used to queue up outside the stadium with his Dad in the Thirties and Forties.There have often been tough times at Newcastle but I cannot believe how far the club have gone backwards since I left in 2004. I cannot see any way back soon unless the next manager is trusted to make decisions on players, signings and a director of football. Bringing in pals - whether they are pals of Keegan's or Wise - is no use.

 

For the past four years, Newcastle have not had a decent coaching staff. I had David Geddis, John Carver and Mick Wadsworth and we qualified the Champions League. Not surprisingly, things have gone into decline as so-called coaches have been appointed because of who they know, not what they know.

 

What is on Dennis Wise's CV to inspire confidence that he can shop round Europe and bring the best players to St James' Park? He worked for Swindon, Millwall and Leeds. Freddy Shepherd got a few things wrong but maybe the club should reintroduce one tradition. If you want to work for Newcastle United, you have to live within 20 miles of St James' Park.

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Nice rant from Bob, especially agree with the last paragraph. One of the things i'm most angry about is the fact the club is siding with a man with basically fuck all experiance in the job over someone who has bags of exp, and has even proved it in his short time in charge by steering us clear of relegation and getting a shit team looking decent.

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Guest elbee909

Utterly impossible to disagree with a single word of that.

 

Agreed. Guarantee you someone will try to disagree though. Just to be different.

 

He's completely biased of course.

 

;)

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Guest MagicNumber9

The man speaks sense what can I say, a true legend.

 

He makes. Good point in the start of the last paragraph about Dennis Wise, and how true!

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Guest optimistic nit

I am absolutely gutted that Sir Bobby has to sit and watch his beloved club go through this when we all know how little time he has left. He doesn't deserve this and it makes me angry.

 

 

indeed.

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Guest Howaythetoon

I am absolutely gutted that Sir Bobby has to sit and watch his beloved club go through this when we all know how little time he has left. He doesn't deserve this and it makes me angry.

 

That and how much he did to put us up there again.

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Guest Howaythetoon

Yet Bobby let Shepherd buy and sell players behind his back.

 

It's in his autobiography.

 

You say let, maybe he had no choice. I've already said I didn't think he had KK's strength to just walk away but we all know Bobby, he probably thought he could take it on and beat it, which is just as big a strength if not more so.

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Yet Bobby let Shepherd buy and sell players behind his back.

 

It's in his autobiography.

 

What should Bobby have done then seeing as you've criticized him for staying on and you've criticized KK for walking?

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well said Bobby. true legend.

 

I am absolutely gutted that Sir Bobby has to sit and watch his beloved club go through this when we all know how little time he has left. He doesn't deserve this and it makes me angry.

 

:weep:

 

 

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Yet Bobby let Shepherd buy and sell players behind his back.

 

It's in his autobiography.

 

At the time, he must have thought he could cope and work with it. You cant criticise him for that.

His current interview is therefore based on his own experiences - he seems therefore well positioned to comment on whether it works or not

 

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Yet Bobby let Shepherd buy and sell players behind his back.

 

It's in his autobiography.

 

What should Bobby have done then seeing as you've criticized him for staying on and you've criticized KK for walking?

 

I've not criticized him for staying on, my point is he's saying nobody worth their would put up with having players bought for them when he did.

 

Hypocritical comments.

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I am absolutely gutted that Sir Bobby has to sit and watch his beloved club go through this when we all know how little time he has left. He doesn't deserve this and it makes me angry.

 

Don't. :weep:

 

I was saying to Tooj the other night, how much I'm dreading the next bit of news we'll get. The least we could have hoped for was for us to be showing the signs of a promising future, maybe a nice little cup run, and playing football he and all of us could enjoy, but instead he has to see his beloved club be ripped asunder.

 

 

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I am absolutely gutted that Sir Bobby has to sit and watch his beloved club go through this when we all know how little time he has left. He doesn't deserve this and it makes me angry.

 

Don't. :weep:

 

I was saying to Tooj the other night, how much I'm dreading the next bit of news we'll get. The least we could have hoped for was for us to be showing the signs of a promising future, maybe a nice little cup run, and playing football he and all of us could enjoy, but instead he has to see his beloved club be ripped asunder.

 

 

 

Gulp, maybe he should give the Hull match a pass.. It's not going to be pretty..

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I also want to punch the little ferret Wise's face in for sitting in Bobby's seat. Nobody should sit in that seat but Bobby - either now or after the inevitable.

 

Yes I'm being emotional about it. I'm allowed to be cos I'm pregnant  :razz:

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Guest Brummiemag

Superb comments from Bobby Robson we need to listen to all his advice,  people like Ashley and others come and go without really giving a toss emotionally about the club but Sir Bobby cares with all his heart,  Bobby you are a true hero and  I think you can still have some influence here if they would let you

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