Yallop pays homage to former mentor Robson
By Jeff Carlisle · July 31, 2009
Following Friday’s practice, San Jose Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop paid his respects to one-time mentor and former England manager Sir Bobby Robson, who died on Friday at the age of 76 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Yallop’s relationship with Robson dates back to 1980, when Yallop began his apprenticeship at Ipswich Town, where Robson was manager. And while Robson left the club just two years later to take up the reins of England’s national team, that was ample time for him to make an impression on Yallop.
And the two kept in touch over the years, especially after Yallop became a manager himself with San Jose. Yallop visited his one-time boss several times while the latter was at Newcastle United, and the Quakes’ head man indicated that the wisdom Robson passed on went well beyond the game itself.
“With someone like [Robson] you just learned how to act as a person,” said Yallop. “It wasn’t so much his soccer knowledge, which was good, it was how he acted.”
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How wild is that? Seems like there could be no one better to learn from.
Is Yallop getting frustrated with the MLS? Tough league to coach in I think - never able to afford a complete and strong 11 it seems.
I did a story last year on Yallop’s coaching style and he specifically credited Robson as his biggest influence.
Clearly his presence will be missed.
Robson was a great soccer guy through and through, and it’s sad that he is gone. But Yallop has clearly put himself head and shoulders above most other MLS coaches and the influence of Robson can’t ever be fully appreciated. I think the quote Yallop says about Robson is also true of Yallop. He is pure class. How many of us have named names and pointed fingers as we watched this team fail time and again? How easy would it be for Yallop to do the same thing? Surely he must be more frustrated than all of us, but our man handles himself with dignity and calm under fire.