The footballing world lost one of its true greats yesterday when former England manager Sir Bobby Robson died peacefully at his home in his beloved County Durham aged 76, after losing his long battle with lung cancer.
He was born into a coal mining family, but life in the pit was not for him. Instead, Robson carved himself a one of the longest and most illustrious careers in football - and grafted a place in the hearts of football supporters around the globe.
As a player he turned out for Fulham, during two spells in the 1950s and 60s, and West Brom winning 20 England caps and appearing at the 1958 World Cup.
But it was as a manager where he truly made his name, winning league titles in three different countries, guiding unfashionable Ipswich Town to domestic and European glory and, most memorably, leading the England nati-onal team to within a post's width of the 1990 World Cup final.
Robson first enjoyed great success during his time as manager of Ipswich, guiding the Portman Road club to the 1978 FA Cup and the 1981 Uefa Cup and twice securing a league runners-up spot.
He took over the England reins following the 1982 World Cup, becoming the most successful England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey. In 1986, England were knocked out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stages by Argentina and Maradona's famous handball goal. Four years later, he came closer to claiming the prestigious prize at Italia '90, but England suffered the heartbreak of a semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat to West Germany.
Back in club management, Robson had spells with PSV, Porto and Barcelona, guiding each to their domestic title, before taking over the reins at his beloved Newcastle, his boyhood club, in 1999. A successful five years saw the Magpies qualify twice for the Champions League.
Robson nurtured such talents as Romario, Ronaldo and Paul Gascgoine, whose tears on the pitch during that '90 semi-final are synonymous with Robson's England reign. Knighted in 2002, his influence transcended his role as player and coach. He was responsible for inspiring modern-day managing greats, including giving Inter Milan's Jose Mourinho his first break in coaching.
"It is difficult to accept such a person is no longer with us - but he is immortal because he leaves in everybody who knows him a mark of his personality," Mourinho said of his former mentor. "He was a great coach but, more than that, a great person.'
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I was never too big or proud to ask him for advice which he gave freely and unconditionally. In my 23 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. Let's hope it won't be long before another like him turns up because we could never get enough of them."
England coach Fabio Capello, added: "Sir Bobby was a wonderful man, a real gentleman. He will never be forgotten."
Last year, despite his deteriorating health, he launched the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation to raise money for cancer research. He made his final public appearance last Sunday, when 33,000 fans turned out at St James' Park to pay homage at a charity match to raise funds for his Foundation.
Football folk loved his eccentricity. He had a habit of getting the names of his players wrong. Shola Ameobi, the Newcastle forward, was once asked if Robson had a nickname for him to which he replied: "Yes, Carl Cort."
During Italia '90, he was mulling over his next selection as he descended in the lift at the team hotel. As the lift doors opened, there waiting was his captain Bryan Robson. "Hi Bobby," said Bobby absent-mindedly. "No, I'm Bryan, you're Bobby," replied Bryan. It's a lovely story. In truth, however, there could only ever be one Sir Bobby Robson.
sports@thenational.ae
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Company%20Profile
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Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT)
Tuesday
Mairobr v Liverpool
Spartak Moscow v Sevilla
Feyenoord v Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City v Napoli
Monaco v Besiktas
RB Leipzig v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur
Wednesday
Benfica v Manchester United
CSKA Moscow v Basel
Bayern Munich v Celtic
Anderlecht v Paris Saint-Germain
Qarabag v Atletico Madrid
Chelsea v Roma
Barcelona v Olympiakos
Juventus v Sporting Lisbon
