Just how good were/was/is/are (Sports Edition)

[The Bear]

After reading that back, and before anyone says something, no it's not my latest lonely hearts ad.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

4. Bryan Robson

Bryan Robson OBE (born 11 January 1957) is an English football manager and former player. Born in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, he began his career with West Bromwich Albion in 1972 before moving to Manchester United in 1981, where he became the longest serving captain in the club's history and won two Premier League winners' medals, three FA Cups, two FA Charity Shields and a European Cup Winners' Cup. In August 2011, Robson was voted as the greatest ever Manchester United player in a poll of the club's former players as part of a new book, 19, released to celebrate the club's record-breaking 19th league title.

Robson represented England on 90 occasions between 1980 and 1991, making him, at the time, the fifth most capped England player. His goalscoring tally of 26 placed him eighth on the list at the time. Robson captained his country 65 times, with only Bobby Moore and Billy Wright having captained England on more occasions. Robson is also known by the nicknames "Robbo" and "Captain Marvel". Bobby Robson stated that Robson was, along with Alan Shearer and Kevin Beattie, the best British player he ever worked with.

Robson began his management career as a player-manager with Middlesbrough in 1994, retiring from playing in 1997. In seven years as Middlesbrough manager, he guided them to three Wembley finals, which were all lost, and earned them promotion to the Premier League on two occasions. Between 1994 and 1996, he also served as assistant coach to England manager Terry Venables, which included Euro 96. He later returned to West Bromwich Albion for two years as manager, helping them become the first top division team in 14 years to avoid relegation after being bottom of the league table on Christmas Day. Less successful have been his short-lived spells as manager of Bradford City and Sheffield United, the former lasting barely six months and ending in relegation from what is now the EFL Championship, and the latter lasting less than a year and seeing his expensively-assembled side fail to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. On 23 September 2009, Robson was appointed manager of the Thailand national team. He resigned on 8 June 2011. On 1 July 2011, Robson was appointed "Global Ambassador" at Manchester United.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Absolutely superb player. Captain Marvel is totally the correct name for him. Kept at the top of the game for years and was sensational in the 82 world cup. 86 and 90 were injury disasters for him. He never should have gone to either tournament as he was unfit, but the managers risked it as neither could risk leaving the man out.

Even though it was Manchester United, I was delighted when he finally got to lift the league title at the eve of his career.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

His peak would have been mid 80s which means that as with some of the cricketers we were discussing earlier in the week, I missed that. So when I started watching, he was a bit of a diminished force who tended to miss quite a lot of games. That said, United weren't very good at the time and they were an absolute husk of a team when he was missing. He was still demonstrably the leader of that team and you could still see the quality he had. Not fair to judge him on Italia 90 though you'd probably have to say his injury ended up being a net benefit to the team? Platt wouldn't have played otherwise.

Obviously we know all the stories of the drinking culture at United and he was undoubtedly a driving force behind that. Different times and all that. Obviously you wouldn't get away with that now or even 25 years ago. Telling that Fergie bombed out McGrath and Whiteside, but not Robson.

Hard as nails, he could definitely mix it a bit.

As a manager, rubbish I'm afraid. Totally imbalanced transfer policy at Boro, even then he shouldn't have relegated them. Gibson is notoriously loyal (or slow to sack managers, whichever you prefer) which means he kept his job for far longer than he deserved to. Utterly bobbins at Albion, although I was quite the fan of the job he did.

His managerial career is however responsible for a truly bizarre photo:

So many questions.

 

[Tony Towner]

Before we had attacking, holding, passing or possession midfielders we just had central midfielders who could do everything. Robson at his best was as good as anyone in that role including Gerrard, Keane and Vieira.

He played in the first game I ever saw live Albion vs Everton in 79. We went as my Dad wanted to see the 3 Degrees who were on the pitch before the game because of the now culturally dodgy comparison with Regis, Batson and Cunningham.

 

[arklowolf]

Like all pace merchants once that is gone they're toast. Relied on good movement off the ball but only off the last man and was never a visionary passer or even had he vision of a good 1-2 to create space. Not that good at dribbling either but his timing off a Heskey flick was exceptional. The definition of a one trick pony. Owen was a good finisher but not in the class of Fowler or Shearer and once his knee injury happened he was finished.

Dull as ditchwater in interviews and probably the least interesting person on the planet. Oddball in the David Icke category.

A perfect summation imo

 

[arklowolf]

Robson? Fearless, agressive, indefatigable, clever. Great player. Legendary boozer to boot.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

After watching world cup re-wind somebody please do Georghe Hagi.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Hagi was my favourite player at a few tournaments, loved watching him play as a kid.

Robson was just before my time, he was a name only for me, on the tail end of his career I could never see the justification for his reputation. I always see him as a piss poor manager than a great player

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Early eighties he was so damn good.

 

[Paul]

After watching world cup re-wind somebody please do Georghe Hagi.

Ive watched that Brazil in the 1970 World cup programme twice now, there's at least a dozen players there, my God they were stunning

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Pele obvs...

But Tostao, Rivelino, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto, Gerson, Clodoaldo.

I'm drooling just thinking about that side.

Only weak point was Felix in goal and let's face it that didn't matter a lot

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I forgot Everaldo Brito and Piazza.

It's the bloody perfect team really.

 

[Paul]

I watched 'that goal' God knows how many times The fact the Pele doesn't even look, he said 'he knew he would be there' !

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Its going to take something special to knock that goal off my favourite of all time. Neves got VERY close.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

I watched 'that goal' God knows how many times The fact the Pele doesn't even look, he said 'he knew he would be there' !

Yes you could watch that goal time and time again,

A goal fitting for in a world cup final, whilst the finish for their 3rd goal would be more fitting for Bantock Park on a dismal hungover Sunday morning

 

[Rui_CostCo]

He think he still cared as he carried on playing past his 40th birthday, Barca obviously knew more than we did as they released him early from his contract and let him go to Milan for free. It didn't work out there at all and he never played at a serious top level again.

I knew when he was running through against us in 2002 that he'd score.



That bloody goal. So annoying. Go in 1-0 up and we'd have been sitting pretty, they hadn't done much until then. Conceding right on HT properly shifted the momentum.

Becks gets all the flak for it but Scholes is far worse in his contribution.

I'd tried to blank that out of my memory :icon_cry:

 

[Rui_CostCo]

I don't think he was ever quite the same after his first hamstring injury (vs Leeds, about 1999 I think). He was still good, still quick, still a superb finisher but there was just that spark missing. Became a less thrilling player.

Never scored 20 league goals in a season for anyone, which is surprising.

You wouldn't have got a price on him breaking Bobby Charlton's England record at one point but his last international game was when he was 28.

An absolute WEIRDO as you can see from that last video. Reckons he has seen four films in his life and he "doesn't like them". Used to drive to Madrid airport every day to buy English papers. Would sit in the dark in his hotel room with his wife, watching English channels on mute. I'm not convinced he ever actually liked football that much. Liverpool fans don't like him, and not just because he ran his contract down and/or he later played for United. They love Fowler, but were indifferent to Owen even at his peak.

Absolutely took the piss at Newcastle, no wonder they hate him.

His Dad's career was cut short by more or less the same hamstring problems his son had. In recent interviews i've read he's talked about being in situations where there s a ball to be chased but he knew it was choice between trying to catch it and spending months sidelined with another torn hamstring or looking like he couldn't be arsed.

When he first started appearing up for England schoolboys you could tell he was special. He was electric.

Three years later and still a teenager he was at a World Cup. As soon as Becks dinked that ball to him against Argentina in 98 I had no doubt he was going to score. Not even Shearer would have given me that level of confidence at that level of competition. Injuries robbed us of his best years, but Pele still voted him into the top 100 living players when he was at Real. What might have been .....

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

5. Netherlands 1974

During the 1970s, Total Football (Dutch: Totaalvoetbal) was invented, pioneered by Ajax and led by playmaker Johan Cruyff and national team head coach Rinus Michels. The Dutch made significant strides, qualifying for two World Cup finals in the decade. Carlos Alberto, captain of the Brazilian team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup said, "The only team I've seen that did things differently was Holland at the 1974 World Cup in Germany. Since then everything looks more or less the same to me ... Their 'carousel' style of play was amazing to watch and marvelous for the game."

In 1974, the Netherlands beat both Brazil and Argentina in the second group stage, reaching the final for the first time in their history. However, they lost to West Germany in the final in Munich, despite having gone up 1–0 through Johan Neeskens' early penalty kick before a German had even touched the ball. However, a converted penalty by Paul Breitner and the winner from Gerd Müller, led to a victory for the Germans.

https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/10/11/holland-1974-the-legendary-failed-heroes-of-the-oranje/

http://footballsquads.co.uk/national/worldcup/wc1974/holland.htm

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

A magnificent side. Rinus Michels was a tactical genius. I was woken up to watch the 1978 final but although I was present on my dad's knee I have no recollection of the 1974 final. Obviously I have watched chunks of it since many times. Cruyff was a truly special player indeed.

Jongbloed was a cracking keeper

Haan and Van Hannegem, Wim Jansen.

Krol, Neeskens

The names trip off the tongue.

For me, the best side never to win the world cup.