Robson & Kidd in at the Blades

The Phantom · 05-21-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC.co.uk

Sheffield United have called a press conference for Tuesday where they are expected to name Bryan Robson and Brian Kidd as their new management team. BBC Five Live understands former West Brom boss Robson will take charge, with Kidd moving up from a coaching role to become assistant boss at Bramall Lane.

Chairman Terry Robinson said the club had drawn up three shortlists to fill the vacancy left by Neil Warnock.

Warnock resigned following the Blades' relegation from the Premiership.

Kidd, who joined the Blades as a coach in September, is likely to succeed Stuart McCall as assistant manager.

McCall is expected to take over as Bradford City boss, replacing caretaker David Wetherall, who was appointed following Colin Todd's departure in February.

Hummm, a step backwards I feel for the Blades. Someone like Chris Coleman, who was apparently over looked for the job would have been a better choice than Robson in my opinion. He doesn't seem like a great motivator or a peoples person. Great player, but i'm still unsure about his managerial qualities. Excellent choice in assistant coach though. Brian Kidd has proven time and again he is one of the best coaches around. Will the old Man Utd boys get the Blades back into the big time? It'll be tough.

Tyler Durden · 05-21-2007, 09:35 AM

I'm torn on both guys. Did Robbo do a great job at Boro? Sure he got them up to the Prem and to a couple of Cup Finals but was that justification for how much money they'd spent at the time and also for ultimately relegating them?

What about at West Brom? He kept them up that season in the Prem, but fell down the next season and didn't last long following that.

Kidd seems to have been largely in the right places at the right times. At United at the time that all those fantastic kids started coming through their youth system. At Leeds when they were splashing cash left right and centre and gettting out of their just before the final fall. He also endured a miserable time as boss of Blackburn before they sacked him.

I don't know, I'm just playing devils advocate here, but I'm not 100% certain either man deserve particularly high reputations. However, this is Sheffield United we're talking about, not Real Madrid, so could they have bought in any better?

One thing is for sure, they'll have bloody great booze ups there with those two knocking around the club!!

The Phantom · 05-21-2007, 10:48 AM

Yeah I see where your coming from. Maybe Robbo will surprise us all. I know he was pretty pee'd off about not getting the England U21 job. It's a shame they aren't in the Prem next season though. Robbo/Kiddo, Keane, Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce vs. Fergie... they would have been interesting affairs! A true Teacher vs. Apprentice battles.

Dmac · 05-22-2007, 10:51 AM

Robson unveiled as Sheff Utd boss

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Sheffield United have unveiled former England captain Bryan Robson as the club's new manager.

Robson, 50, takes over from Neil Warnock in the Bramall Lane hotseat only nine days after the Blades were relegated from the Premiership.

"I'm delighted to take the position," he said. "We've got a good squad and if we can fine tune it a bit, we can get back to the Premiership."

Brian Kidd moves up from his role as coach to become assistant to Robson.

Interview: Sheffield United manager Bryan Robson

Robson, who has also managed Middlesbrough, had been out of work since leaving West Brom in September.

He added: "When you've been in football since you were 15, as I have, when you go out of the game, you do miss it. It's what I've always done.

"The great thing about Sheffield United is the set-up. It's surprised me how solid the foundations are.

"That gives you a great chance to go forward and improve the squad and hopefully get straight back into the Premiership."

----------------------------------------
Middlesbrough 1994-2001
Won 127 Lost 101 Drawn 86
Win percentage: 40%
Promoted to Premiership in 1995, relegated 1997, promoted again 1998

Bradford 2003-2004
W7 L20 D1
Win percentage: 25%
Relegated to League One

West Brom 2004-2006
W19 L38 D24
Win percentage: 23%
Staved off relegation from Premiership in 2005, relegated in 2006
----------------------------------------

Club chairman Kevin McCabe said he believed Robson would lead the Blades back to the top-flight this season.

"Bryan is an experienced manager. We believe he's the right man to get us back to the Premiership in the shortest possible space of time," said McCabe.

"He will have every support from the board and the team here to gain that ambition because this club intends to be among top 10 in Premiership at least within the next three to five years.

"Despite relegation, we're still determined to achieve those ambitions."

Robson parted company with West Brom by mutual consent in September and had set up a sports consultancy business that he was reportedly reluctant to leave.

But he now replaces Warnock, who spent eight years with the Blades - although McCabe has now conceded that he "wasn't quite right" for the club last season.

"Hindsight is a great thing," he added.

"Neil Warnock is a great motivator. We can reflect now maybe Neil Warnock wasn't quite right for our Premiership ambitions. But he gave it his all.

"The time had come for a change."

Robson has experience of winning promotion, having guided Middlesbrough to the top flight in 1995 and, after a relegation, in 1998.

He successfully kept West Brom in the Premiership in 2005 but they were relegated last year and Robson left the club after a disappointing start to the subsequent campaign.

Kidd, who joined the Blades as a coach in September, will succeed Stuart McCall as assistant manager.

His previous roles include an assistant management post at Manchester United, a stint as manager of Blackburn and a job as part of former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson's backroom staff.

Credit - BBC Sport