Sir Bobby Beside His Ipswich StatueNewcastle United have announced that a statue of Sir Bobby Robson is to be unveiled before the final home game of the season on 6th May. The statue will be nine and a half feet high and cast in bronze. It will be situated at the south west corner of St James’ Park.
Ipswich Town, of course, have had a statue of Sir Bobby outside their ground for many years – a much younger Sir Bobby it has to be said. I’ve had my photo taken standing beside that one, and will be completing the set when United’s new statue is in place!
The club’s managing director Derek Llambias told the club’s official website:
“We’re delighted to be able to honour Sir Bobby Robson with this lasting tribute.
“He was a great man and ambassador for this football club and for the city. He achieved great success during his time as manager of Newcastle United and this statue is a fitting way for the club to remember him.”
Lady Elsie Robson added:
“It’s very fitting that there will be a tribute to Bob outside Newcastle United’s ground. This is where his love of football began.”(more…)
Hoping for a bigger trophy?According to his column in the Mail on Sunday, Gary Lineker reckons Newcastle’s very own Steve Harper can be the next Steve Bull. Well not quite, but he does believe that Fabio Capello should cast an eye to the Championship doldrums, if he’s worried about his World Cup custodian as he faces a dearth in quality goalkeeprs.
While there have been other examples, Sir Bobby Robson notably selected Steve Bull to represent England in the 1990 World Cup despite him playing in the second flight at the time. And Lineker believes that Capello would do well to follow the example of not ignoring those outside the Premiership, provided they’re capable enough.
Lineker wrote:
“I wonder if Fabio Capello might take a leaf out of Bobby Robson’s book by casting his eye over a player who is excelling in the Championship while rivals are floundering in the Premier League.
“Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper has been one of the main reasons his side are heading back to the top flight.
“Finding goalkeepers is a world problem because of the way the game has changed, particularly in the movement of the ball.(more…)
Old boy makes PilgrimageOur path to FA Cup glory could be thwarted by an old acquaintance, if reports are true that former Newcastle United coach John Carver is back in football. It’s been mentioned on .com that JC is going to be assistant to Paul Mariner at Plymouth Argyle, who has taken charge after Paul Sturrock was removed from the Home Park hotseat.
Carver coached our reserves and academy sides, before being promoted to assistant to Sir Bobby Robson, and stepped in as Caretaker when Robson was sacked. When Souness got the job, he then moved onto Leeds as first team coach before once again stepping in as Caretaker for Kevin Blackwell, who he then followed to Luton Town before taking up the role of head coach at MLS side Toronto. (more…)
Sousa: "he didn't answer my last call".In the run up to Newcastle United’s game with Swansea City at St James’s Park, Swans manager an ex Portugal legend, Paulo Sousa, has paid a tribute to good friend, Sir Bobby Robson in the club’s official website.
Sousa, a defensive midfielder of the highest order and a giant of the Portuguese game, was signed from Benfica by Sir Bobby when he was manager of Sporting Lisbon. Though Paulo moved to Juventus barely a year later, the pair strick up a firm friendship which lasted until Sir Bobby’s death recently.
In tribute to the great man he said:
“I was shocked and deeply saddened by Sir Bobby’s death. He earned the right to be called Sir because of the recognition he had throughout World football from players, supporters, directors, etc.
“My sadness hurt even deeper because I tried to call him the day before he died. I had called him on a weekly basis for the previous 18 months to see how he was and to give him my support in his battle against illness.(more…)
World Cup dreams alive?And I’m not just talking about spending some hard-earned cash to go and cheer on The Three Lions. Shola’s talking about actually playing in the World Cup 2010. I know, I know, this is a kid who could barely get in the Newcastle first eleven until this season and has repeatedly underacheived year on year.
However, after coming into good form at the start of this season, he’s been giving some thought to representing Nigeria, his country of birth and where he lived until he was six when he moved to Newcastle. Having played for England at Under-21 level, originally that’s where his international dream lay, but in giving himself a more realistic chance of making the finals, he’s turned his attention to his home nation for whom he is still elligible to play.
Although I was blissfully ignorant to the fact, or at least had forgotten it happened, the Nigerian FA chiefs have tried to call him up to represent Nigeria before but it is only now that Ameobi has expressed an interest in doing so. Ameobi said:
“It was a great honour for me to represent England at Under-21 level and my mum and dad were so proud of me.
“But they would love to see me play for Nigeria. I see myself as Nigerian, I was born and bred there.
“It’s not about changing allegiances. I’ve got Nigerian roots and I’m proud of my country, the country where I was born and spent the first five or six years of my life.(more…)
