Football: Robson addicted to game he loves

Football: Former England coach takes up short-term challenge with PSV Eindhoven while planning a return home

HE SPOKE for an hour, easily and at length. When it comes to football, Bobby Robson, who played for and coached his country, could also talk for England.

But there was one occasion when he really was lost for words. This was Thursday afternoon and the news had filtered through to De Herdgang, PSV Eindhoven's leafy training complex, that Kenny Dalglish had left Newcastle United and Ruud Gullit was being lined up as a replacement.

Seventeen months ago, when Robson was coaching Barcelona, Newcastle had offered him the job before Dalglish. Emotionally, Robson wanted to go but he was professionally and contractually committed to Barcelona. It was still, he recalled, "a nightmare to turn it down."

This time, contrary to speculation, Newcastle had not been in touch. Perhaps it was because they wanted Gullit's allure rather than Robson's lore; perhaps it was because they now knew he is not a man to break contracts.

Either way, as Robson's voice became so soft it could hardly be heard, you could tell he was thinking that another chance to manage the club he watched as a boy had gone. Would it ever come again? It might, Gullit does not seem a long-term appointment, but Robson is already 65 years old, an age when his contemporaries have traded dug-out for armchair and team-sheet for pension book.

Not that Robson feels his age - or acts it. Not only does he continue to don his tracksuit every morning to take training but, as an astonished Dutch press recently discovered, he still plays. It is this enthusiasm which explains why, the night before we met, he had endured nearly two hours of torment as PSV scrambled into the Champions' League on Wednesday night.

As the sporting arm of the giant electronics company, Phillips, European success is imperative for PSV. Indeed, Robson's previous spell at the club ended after two years because of European failure, despite winning the domestic title in both seasons. He returned to the club from Barcelona during the close season.

A qualifying-round draw against Maribor Teatanic, who lost 9-1 to Ajax in Europe last year, seemed ideal. Though PSV trailed 2-1 from the first leg in Slovenia, the biggest danger appeared to be the red and yellow cards of a familiar referee. Graham Poll did book seven - four from Eindhoven- but he was the least of PSV's problems. Though the eventual 4-1 scoreline reflected the balance of play it gave no indication of Robson's ordeal.

Having boldly chosen a team with two defenders, a midfield anchor and seven offensive players (how St James' Park would love that) Robson watched Maribor extend their advantage with the game's first shot. Though PSV quickly equalised, their subsequent seige did not bring further reward before, to the horror of an anxious crowd, Maribor hit the post on a rare breakaway. Had that gone in, PSV would had needed an unlikely three goals in 28 minutes. As it was they forced extra time, during which a fortuitous deflected goal finally broke Maribor. Now a winnable Champions' League Group F against Kaiserslauten, Benfica and HJK Helsinki beckons.

"Why do I do it?" said Robson who had spent the evening on the bench in that familiar crossed arms pose, occasionally leaning forward, sometimes drawn to his feet in frustration. "Because I'm still immersed in it, the drug is very strong. I work because I want to, not because I have to. My love for the game is still there and my health is good."

Indeed, though snowy-haired, he looks fit. No one would guess that, just three years ago, he underwent a harrowing operation to remove a malignant mouth cancer. His energy and passion is undimmed. The previous night, in those critical minutes before the onset of extra time, he had exhorted his players collectively and individually, waving his arms like a tic- tac man before the off. Now he was quieter but still quick to enthuse about his new team, who today host Heerenveen, one of many make-weights in the Dutch Eredivisie.

After his year "scouting" for Barcelona, Robson was going to return to England and look for a job when PSV approached him with a rare challenge. Eric Gerets, the former Belgian international and PSV's captain under Robson, is to be their manager next year. But first he must pass his Dutch coaching licence and see out his contract with Bruges. Enter Robson.

"I couldn't resist it," he said, but it was tougher than it looked. PSV had five players in the Dutch World Cup team but all, including Jaap Stam and Wim Jonk, have moved on. So have several others. On Wednesday only one player, Gilles De Bilde, remained from last season's regular team. The two other survivors, Frank Valckx and Luc Nilis, are among five senior players injured.

"The result is a team with an average age of 22. Twenty-two!" he repeats with an emphasis which suggests he still cannot believe it himself. After all, none of them were born when he began managing, in Canada 31 years ago.

From there he went to Fulham, Ipswich and England before, after leading England to the 1990 World Cup semi-finals, he joined PSV to escape from press vilification and FA indifference. The break became a new career during which he has managed Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona, winning titles and trophies all the way.

"I'm surprised I've stayed abroad," he said, "but I like the lifestyle. In Barcelona I had this every day (he turns in vain to the window to find the morning sun has given way to cloud). Lisbon and Porto are lovely cities, I loved being able to eat outside in the sun."

Eindhoven is neither sunny nor lovely, but the job has its attractions. Though Premiership clubs are moving towards the Continental fashion of revolving-door management, they have yet to adopt fully the practice of letting the coach coach while others deal with the overwhelming range of club affairs.

"In England I did everything, even buying the toilet rolls. I was first in and last to leave," Robson recalls. "Here I only concentrate on the first team. I don't have to answer phones, buy and sell players, deal with sponsors, contracts, parents. You have time to enjoy life and your job.

"There is pressure but your energies are not diluted. At Ipswich it got to the stage where I was turning to Bobby [Ferguson, his assistant] and saying `you'll have to take training'. That's when you lose control."

Even so, next summer Robson will be back in the job market and looking towards England. The post he is best qualified for is the national one, far more so than when he did it. But, though he feels he could do it, he is unsure whether he would now want the accompanying "anguish and hassle".

"It is, as Terry [Venables] said, a job for an experienced man, someone who knows Continental football, but I'm too old now. Glenn [Hoddle]'s doing a good job and I hope he lasts as long as he wants to."

Robson thought England's performance was "mixed" in the World Cup - impressive against Argentina, disappointing against Romania - but feels prospects are "good" for the European Championships. Of the latest controversy he adds: "I defend his right to write a book but he has to stand or fall on what he says. I wrote one and enjoyed it because I had a story to tell. I didn't break any confidences because there was enough to tell anyway."

Of the World Cup in general, Robson saw little new, only the increasing importance of players joining the attack from deep positions. The suffering of Ronaldo, his former player at Barcelona, had the biggest impact.

"I was stunned, shocked, surprised and saddened. He was under a lot of pressure and played too much football. In that season with us [at Barcelona] he flew to Brazil to play eight times and always had 90 minutes. There were times when he could have been rested. It was the same in France. I fear for him. He needs protection and guidance, medical and psychological."

It is a rare note of pessimism from Robson but, as he turns his attention back to his new team, the drug kicks in again. He talks about his Finnish winger and his Russian playmaker and the eyes light up. The football man is getting another fix.