Bryan Robson

[LouTheBlade]

You cannot argue with many of Robson's signings. Majority of them came good at some stage.

I think thats the one and only thing that can be said for him - although you could argue it came at a price as we spent a lot of money bringing them in and didnt get back into the Premier League, which is what they were brought in to achieve.

It wasnt the players he signed that were a problem. The main problem - which I havent touched on previously, was that he tried to completely change the way we played overnight. A complete overhaul of the way I side plays cannot be achieved instantly. Many managers have attempted it and fail every time. Sadly he wasnt clever enough to make it a steady progression and patiently introduce his own ideas bit by bit.

We saw it some home games, where we were trying these stupid fucking triangle passing routines. We might have been keeping it on the deck but we found it hard to even break struggling teams down. It was like watching a game of snooker with one pocket that we couldnt hit. :thumbdown:

 

[Grecian2000]

It wasnt the players he signed that were a problem. The main problem - which I havent touched on previously, was that he tried to completely change the way we played overnight. A complete overhaul of the way I side plays cannot be achieved instantly. Many managers have attempted it and fail every time. Sadly he wasnt clever enough to make it a steady progression and patiently introduce his own ideas bit by bit.

I don't think this is true as such.

Howard Kendall followed Dave Bassett and completely changed the way we played as if flicking on a light switch. The results then started to improve and the last three months of that season was as good as I've seen us play for many a year.

For me, where Robson failed, in spectacular style, was in somehow making us the unfittest team in the division. The players were simply blowing out of their arses after about half an hour. We played at no tempo because they simply couldn't keep it up for any length of time (step onto that one Pervy Blade).
James Beattie was the prime example. He spent the first half of the season scoring but "conserving" his energy for large parts of games. When Blackwell had got them back up to a proper fitness level then he showed he could play for a full 90 and looked twice the player.
Blackwell didn't get them playing a better type of football, but he got them to a level of fitness that meant our superior players could be just that.

 

[LouTheBlade]

I don't think this is true as such.

Howard Kendall followed Dave Bassett and completely changed the way we played as if flicking on a light switch. The results then started to improve and the last three months of that season was as good as I've seen us play for many a year.

That is true Grecian, he did get us playing much better football quite quckly but I beg to differ that this happened overnight. Kendall turned over a lot of the playing staff and brought in his own players very early on which enabled him to change our playing style quite quickly. It took him a few months to get us playing exactly how he wanted though. I seem to remember one of the first things he did was sell Nathan Blake.

But I agree he did turn us around very quickly in comparison to other managers.

 

[Big Mart]

Captain Drunk is interviewed in this month's World Soccer. He says the big disappointment of his career is that he didn't get long at the Lane because the fans "didn't take" to him and forced him out. He says he thought he was turning things round.

Captain Drunk??? Hilarious, you should be a comedian FFS, do you honestly think if the bloke was a raving drunkard he'd not have been hammered by the media for it? The papers would love to give it some so ffs grow up with the unfounded name calling.

As to Robsons comments let's be fair, he's spot on. You lot were on his case from day one and you know why? Because he's a big name, because he's an ex England captain, and because he might have tried to sign a few big names and turn homely little Sheffield United into something you'd feel uncomfortable with.

OK he messed up with his tactics but at least he got a few faces in, unlike the current incumbent who's tactics are shite and his signings aren't much better.

Sorry ladies, you're just like the board at the Lane. You have no ambition and are too happy to be close to the play offs, without ever looking like a football side that has some direction or that poses a serious threat to the rest of the division, but at least you have a "nice" little club to go and watch. Enjoy

:gallop:

 

[Bramley]

Congratulations Micalijo - with a neat bodyswerve you managed to have another dig at KB in a thread about Robson. Keep up the good work!

I'm just surprised Micaijo has got a mate apart from Olliesendro.

 

[alcoblade]

Captain Drunk??? Hilarious, you should be a comedian FFS, do you honestly think if the bloke was a raving drunkard he'd not have been hammered by the media for it? The papers would love to give it some so ffs grow up with the unfounded name calling.

As to Robsons comments let's be fair, he's spot on. You lot were on his case from day one and you know why? Because he's a big name, because he's an ex England captain, and because he might have tried to sign a few big names and turn homely little Sheffield United into something you'd feel uncomfortable with.

OK he messed up with his tactics but at least he got a few faces in, unlike the current incumbent who's tactics are shite and his signings aren't much better.

Sorry ladies, you're just like the board at the Lane. You have no ambition and are too happy to be close to the play offs, without ever looking like a football side that has some direction or that poses a serious threat to the rest of the division, but at least you have a "nice" little club to go and watch. Enjoy

:gallop:

Fuck me - he did have a supporter! I'll have one of what you and yer mate Robbo drink Mart (but no, not the Meths)



UTB

 

[Selly]

OK he messed up with his tactics but at least he got a few faces in, unlike the current incumbent who's tactics are shite and his signings aren't much better.

Blackwell - P100 W46 D29 L25 PPg 1.67
Robson - P38 W14 D12 L12 PPg 1.42

nuff said

 

[Sensiblade]

As has been said before by me and others, anyone who says the Sheffield Derby match is 'Just another match' should not be allowed anywhere near the Blades management position.
My case rests for why the dismissal of Robson was the correct decision

 

[alcoblade]

Blackwell - P100 W46 D29 L25 PPg 1.67
Robson - P38 W14 D12 L12 PPg 1.42

nuff said

You might also add that Blackwell achieved that whilst removing a lot of the unsustainable millstone that Robson left around our neck.

UTB

 

[Sensiblade]

You might also add that Blackwell achieved that whilst removing a lot of the unsustainable millstone that Robson left around our neck.

UTB

and with what people would arguably say is a worse and weaker squad

 

[Bramley]

Captain Drunk??? Hilarious, you should be a comedian FFS, do you honestly think if the bloke was a raving drunkard he'd not have been hammered by the media for it? The papers would love to give it some so ffs grow up with the unfounded name calling.

As to Robsons comments let's be fair, he's spot on. You lot were on his case from day one and you know why? Because he's a big name, because he's an ex England captain, and because he might have tried to sign a few big names and turn homely little Sheffield United into something you'd feel uncomfortable with.

OK he messed up with his tactics but at least he got a few faces in, unlike the current incumbent who's tactics are shite and his signings aren't much better.

Sorry ladies, you're just like the board at the Lane. You have no ambition and are too happy to be close to the play offs, without ever looking like a football side that has some direction or that poses a serious threat to the rest of the division, but at least you have a "nice" little club to go and watch. Enjoy

:gallop:

To be fair Mart, you've bandied around plenty of nicknames for Monty over the years (who I'd say despite ability has shown plenty more commitment to SUFC than Robson) so I think your criticism of the use of "Captain Drunk" is a bit hypocritical to say the least.

 

[JJ Sefton]

...and because he might have tried to sign a few big names and turn homely little Sheffield United into something you'd feel uncomfortable with.

As Ive said, he had more money to spend than any manager in our history, of course decent players were going to come. I dont imagine James Beattie went "£X per week? Not sure, its shitty Sheffield United after all...whats that? Bryan Robson is in charge? Sign me up!"

 

[SwissBlade]

Big Mart, Personally I was behind Robbo from Day 1. It was painful to watch and he wasted money when we had players good enough to get us out of the division. His record as manager was poor before he came to us, but thought because of his Big name status that he would attract players and also prove his record wrong

I stuck by him until it got so dire and embarassing that we had absolutely no option but to get rid.

He hung himself by spending big and not producing the results.

I also remember there was less discontent through Oct/ Nov than Blackie has faced this season.

Robson was a joke as manager to blame the fans shows he's all ego

The fans didn't pick the team
The fans didn't buy the players
The fans didn't sell players
The fans didn't decide to play the worst brand of football I have seen for years

Who did? You've guessed it Robson.

Perhaps the Blades Fans should be interviewed by World Soccer to put the record straight

 

[cooperblade]

You cannot argue with many of Robson's signings. Majority of them came good at some stage.

The amount of money that went on players who didn't come good to the extent of getting us back in the Premier League is crippling us now though.

Somewhere in the region of £3m+ a year on the wages of Beattie and Naysmith? Yes they are good players but was that the best use of the cash? Not for me. We already had Hulse and Stead, did we need to splash out so much on another striker?

You could argue they were overly ambitious targets but the ones he missed out on (Cahill, Cattermole, Johnson) would've been cracking signings. What a shame he didn't put more effort into getting the best young talent. Not the first time we've had our fingers burned assembling an expensive dad's army.

 

[Ted Danson]

Captain Drunk??? Hilarious, you should be a comedian FFS, do you honestly think if the bloke was a raving drunkard he'd not have been hammered by the media for it? The papers would love to give it some so ffs grow up with the unfounded name calling.

I think a fair few of the staff of the boozers in Door and Totley would disagree with you there mate.

As to Robsons comments let's be fair, he's spot on. You lot were on his case from day one and you know why? Because he's a big name, because he's an ex England captain, and because he might have tried to sign a few big names and turn homely little Sheffield United into something you'd feel uncomfortable with.

No. We were on his case because he was shite and proved that. most people gave him the benefit of the doubt but after a few games and interviews it was obvious he was shite.

OK he messed up with his tactics but at least he got a few faces in, unlike the current incumbent who's tactics are shite and his signings aren't much better.

Blackwells tactics are effective though, Nobsons were shite and ineffective and so boring to watch, tip tap along the back four, wow amazing. Also Im pretty sure Blackwell would have signed better players if he had the money to spend and was in control of a team whod just been narrowly relegated and was one of the favorites to go straight back up

Sorry ladies, you're just like the board at the Lane. You have no ambition and are too happy to be close to the play offs, without ever looking like a football side that has some direction or that poses a serious threat to the rest of the division, but at least you have a "nice" little club to go and watch. Enjoy

I have ambition but I dont have my head in the clouds thinking that football is so straight forward and that we have a god given right to win everything.
:gallop:

I cant see how anyone can stick up for Robson in anyway, he is the worst thing to happen to united in my lifetime. The strange thing is that its the people who slate Blackwell so much that seem to stick up for Robson yet Blackwell has acheived so much more.

 

[LouTheBlade]

The amount of money that went on players who didn't come good to the extent of getting us back in the Premier League is crippling us now though.

Somewhere in the region of £3m+ a year on the wages of Beattie and Naysmith? Yes they are good players but was that the best use of the cash? Not for me. We already had Hulse and Stead, did we need to splash out so much on another striker?

You could argue they were overly ambitious targets but the ones he missed out on (Cahill, Cattermole, Johnson) would've been cracking signings. What a shame he didn't put more effort into getting the best young talent. Not the first time we've had our fingers burned assembling an expensive dad's army.

Agree with the above. I generally think our club shows no decent level of ambition but in this case we showed a little, but at the wrong time. What I have never understood is why we gave Robson loads of money to get us nowhere, when 12 months earlier the chairman could have backed Warnock in assembling a team of similar value.

Yes I know we most likely used the parachute payments to finance Robson's spending spree but we knew the season before that we would get parachute payments if we went down so why didnt we budget that forthcoming to finance a team capable of staying up?!

Just showed that the Chairman had little belief in Warnock and threw all the eggs in one basket with Robson.

 

[Ted Danson]

Just showed that the Chairman had little belief in Warnock and threw all the eggs in one basket with Robson.

I think he would have had more faith in Warnock if the majority of our fans hadnt been calling Warnocks head the season before we got promoted. I firmly beleive it was the fans who hounded out Warnock not the board. If KM had stuck with him and we'd lost the first game we would have had a shoes off protest right there and then.

For the record I beleive Warnock would have got us straight back up and cemented our place in the Prem but we'll never know now.

 

[LouTheBlade]

I think he would have had more faith in Warnock if the majority of our fans hadnt been calling Warnocks head the season before we got promoted. I firmly beleive it was the fans who hounded out Warnock not the board. If KM had stuck with him and we'd lost the first game we would have had a shoes off protest right there and then.

For the record I beleive Warnock would have got us straight back up and cemented our place in the Prem but we'll never know now.

I certainly think he would have done a damn site better than Robson. We would have at least been challenging for a play-off place but he would have brought in different players. We backed the wrong guy at the wrong time.

Don't get me wrong I was no Warnock lover. I liked some things about him but thought he was naive tactically and no one will ever change my opinion on that. Anyone who has to narrow the pitch before the start of the PL season clearly doesnt have faith in his team or his tactics.

I have to stress however that I was not one of those who hounded him out. I treated him the same as I do KB now - I appreciate the things he does well and accept him for what he is.

The chairman wanted him out as well. It was clear that KM wanted a big name as manager and made no effort to persuade Warnock to stay like he did with KB so it was inevitable that Robson would take over anyway.

 

[Ted Danson]

The chairman wanted him out as well. It was clear that KM wanted a big name as manager and made no effort to persuade Warnock to stay like he did with KB so it was inevitable that Robson would take over anyway.

I feel the chairman wanted him out though because of the way the fans were reacting. If the fans hadnt been questioning him so much then I think KM would have been happy to keep him. If we had stayed up Warnock would have probably had one more season and then retired to Cornwall, hopefully leaving us in a possition where we can appoint someone with a decent record rather than a big name.

As for him wanting to keep Blackwell, well I think that finances and results had a big part to play in that. He knew if he let Blackwell resign then we would need a new manager who in turn would want a load of new players which would cost lots with no guarantee of being any better than Blackwell and worst case scenario he appoints another Robson