Terry Butcher believes Sir Bobby Robson should be remembered as the greatest English manager of all time. The former England captain, who played under Robson for both club and country, argues that his old boss deserves more recognition than he has received.
Robson's Legacy
Robson managed England for eight years, leading the side to the World Cup semi-final at Italia 90. Before that, he won the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup during a successful spell at Ipswich Town.
Butcher has now compiled a book titled 'Almost Immortal', featuring contributions from Peter Shilton, Paul Parker, Stuart Pearce, Des Walker, Bryan Robson, Paul Gascoigne, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley, Gary Lineker and John Barnes. The book reflects on Robson's style and man-management, qualities Butcher believes set him apart.
Butcher said: “I think he's the best. I know it's a bold statement, but it's not just based on England being England manager in those eight years.
“It's about setting the club up, setting Ipswich up to become a real force, and not only in England but in Europe as well. When he went to England, he transformed the squad. He made it better. He improved it, and if it got worse, then he made changes.
“And he was tremendous at building teams. He really was, and very, very strong at dismantling those teams. But not just with England, but also when his career abroad, he was very successful.
“He created great atmospheres there and great teams. You look at Ronaldo when he got Ronaldo at Barcelona. Wow, that's one of the greatest signings of all time. He was an absolute genius and Bobby got the best out of him.”
Remembering a Historic Night
Butcher also played a starring role in one of England's greatest victories on foreign soil. On February 18, 1987, Gary Lineker scored all four goals in a 4-2 win over Spain at the Bernabéu, a night that also marked Tony Adams' international debut.
“I remember it so well,” said Butcher. “It was in Madrid, the Bernabeu, the pitch was rubbish, the most horrible pitch in the world because it was soaking wet and I think it helped us because we were used to pitches like that in the First Division.
“Wembley was the best pitch in the world at that time. But we were in Madrid, it was Tony Adams' debut and I played alongside Tony Adams. I think it sort of came out of nowhere in many respects. It was Gary Lineker’s night because he scored four and it helped us enormously.
“I also think it helped Gary enormously because he’s a Barcelona player, scores four against Spain in the Bernabeu! That sort of made him at Barcelona with the Catalans. He was off and running. He was top man.
“I had a friend in Ipswich, I got him a ticket and he came out and we had lunch in a tapas restaurant - I didn’t even know what tapas was!
“Afterwards, we went to a Spanish Lladro shop, bought a piece of China, and I spent the rest of the trip carrying it round. It took pride of place, we couldn’t put it on the hold in case it got smashed! It was a brilliant trip.
“Those sort of trips and results really pull a squad together and it definitely did that for us. It was great times with Bobby.”
Current England Prospects
Butcher, one of England's greatest centre-halves, believes the current first-choice pairing of Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa is the rock upon which the team is built. “I like Konsa a lot,” he said. “I like Guehi as well. He would have learned from the World Cup and also knows there’s other centre halves so that competition brings pressure. That sort of threat is a good thing. Competition and battle for places was always good for me because it drove me harder.”
England boss Thomas Tuchel goes to Madrid again on Saturday with the aim of overcoming the current world champions at the Metropolitano Stadium. Butcher, whose generation did not lift a trophy, believes Tuchel's men have that within their grasp, and one trophy will help others follow. They were close under Sir Gareth Southgate and reached the semi-finals again in the summer.
Butcher added: “The thing about the players now—they've got to realise they're on the cusp of greatness, and the book's almost immortal. This team can become immortals. They've got it well within their power to become immortals.
“Spain have got a real belief about them. Argentina always got a belief about them. We don't seem to have that belief. It was much of a belief as the other countries. I think that's the difference between winning and losing. It has to be a strong team that's got the ability.
“We've certainly got the ability, but it's got to be a team. Winners have a really strong mind and a really strong belief. It's not arrogance. They just know they can win. They know they can beat anybody.
“You've got to believe you're going to win the game. There's that slight mentality difference. You're talking small margins. But enough to be immortal. Not just also immortals all the time. That's our sort of title really. Also immortals. I think that's the next book coming up!
“It's the hope that kills you as an England fan. You get that emotion. But it's one. It's the one trophy. It's like when you're climbing Everest. Climb that mountain, make the final steps and once you get over the top, you will carry on winning.”
Full details of Almost Immortal can be found at almostimmortal.co.uk.
