How good was Bryan Robson in his pomp?

[Otto42]

Great thread this, some great descriptions of those who remember him.

I’m too young for Robbo’s peak years but wasn’t Gerrard just Robbo reincarnated? All action Roy of the Rovers type who can do everything, win games on his own, one man team sort of midfielder?

Who was better for those who saw them both, Gerrard or Robson?

Obviously I’ve seen ‘better’ players (Messi, Maradona) but Gerrard would be my first pick and captain of my team to take on Mars, he’s my favourite ever player.

Gerrard is as close to Robson as any who have come since, but for me Robbo shades it as he produced for England while Gerrard rarely did and he was a real leader on the pitch, more so than Stevie G. I only caught the end of Souness at the Boro, so can only really judge him for Liverpool, where I thought he probably rivalled Robson, but again Robson shades it as he seemed to do it in a lesser side and resorted less to the dark arts - for Liverpool Souness could be a dirty b***r!

 

[CarrickBall]

Robson did well when managing us. He wasn't a top level manager but was still a pretty decent one.
Got us promoted as champions when there were only 2 spots. Made some wonderfully astute buys like Pearson. Learned from his first relegation and put together a more solid and experienced team. (How many managers just stubbornly do the same thing over and over again when it's patently not working) First season in the premier League had us sitting in the European places until we hit a bad run, playing some lovely stuff.
2nd time we got promoted we lost merson and still finished 9th - again some clever buys, Dean Gordon, Andy Townsend.
Did exactly what we needed and entertained us all while doing so. People talk about some of his achievements like they were a piece of ****. Even if you've got money you've got to spend it wisely. (Garry monk).
Look at the pigs **** Strachan made trying to get us up first time of asking, and the pigs **** Southgate was making of it (0 5 at home v west brom Jesus)
On top of that it was his first ever go at management.
And then he accepted Venables coming in. How many other people would do that?

Class post.

 

[Rofesleg]

First season in the premier League had us sitting in the European places until we hit a bad run, playing some lovely stuff.

And then we bought Juninho, six months too early in my opinion.
Breaking up the triumvirate of Barmby-Hignett-Fjortoft which was working so well. Their movement and interplay was about as good as we have seen

 

[festa5]

I'm too young to remember Robbo at his best but the extremely high regard his fellow pros, particularly those from other countries tells you everything I think.

I don't think it was an exaggeration when it was talked about how much a factor he was in attracting players to the club. That was always the paradox with him as a manager. A better coach/tactician would probably have done much better with some of the players he had, but probably wouldn't have attracted them in the first place.

 

[Corcaigh_the_Cat]

And then we bought Juninho, six months too early in my opinion.
Breaking up the triumvirate of Barmby-Hignett-Fjortoft which was working so well. Their movement and interplay was about as good as we have seen

You don't hang around for players of his quality and for me he improved the team and the spectacle.

 

[Jedi boro]

For those that didn’t really see him and wonder how good he was, he was the bench mark player a player others were judged by the phrase he’s no Bryan robson.

 

[Nano]

Gerrard was massively over-rated. He was rubbish for England because he couldn't get away with what he could for Liverpool. Everything had to be about him, constantly shooting when he shouldn't, playing 80 yard passes at every opportunity when he should have been playing simple balls etc. He scored screamers because he attempted them 10x per game. He had the ability but if he had stronger coaches that made him play for the team then he could have been far better and he might have been able to carry that over to England. Ronaldo has a similar attitude, selfish and wants everything to be about him instead of the team. I would far rather a player that puts the team winning above personal glory and from what I have seen from Robson that is exactly the attitude he had.