Bryan Robson lasted seven years at Middlesbrough
before achieving the impossible and getting the push from Steve Gibson.
He was then overlooked for the Republic of Ireland job, which went to a man
whose only previous management post came at League of Ireland club St Pat's (Brian Kerr), and turned down by Nigeria's sports minister on account of his wage demands.
Bradford took pity on him, but soon wished
they hadn't as the Bantams picked up
less than a point per game under Robson and were relegated to the third tier.
A stint at West Brom followed, in which the
Baggies miraculously avoided relegation - for one season at least - but ended
up parting company by mutual consent.
Sheffield United inexplicably appointed him in 2007, but it was not long
before Robson was criticising his players in public and he was sacked after
little more than half a season.
It is a track record of almost unmitigated failure. The question is, should
somebody tell the Thai FA?
It is an appointment even more bizarre than that of Robson's predecessor Peter Reid, who actually enjoyed a
decent spell at Sunderland before his long
toboggan ride into laughing stock status.
Reid did rather well with Thailand, winning the 2008 T&T Cup, but you
simply don't turn down the chance to
be Tony Pulis's number two at Stoke,
and when the Potters came calling old Monkey Heed was off.
The saddest thing about Robson's dugout
record is that is has almost completely overshadowed a truly magnificent
playing career.
When ED was a nipper, it idolised the England captain, who was a
dislocated shoulder or 10 away from going down as one of the greatest of all
time.
As it was, he had to make do with 26 goals in 90 international appearances,
a British record transfer fee and a decade as Manchester United captain.
Robson was staggeringly brilliant; a kind of supercharged Steven Gerrard
whose strength and stamina seemed undimmed by his legendary boozing sessions.
He is far from the only great player to become a useless manager, but he has
certainly spent longer plugging away at it from most.
ED suggests that when players go from playing in managing, they should
change their name and appearance so as not to sully their reputation.
For all we know, Chris Hutchings was actually Chris Waddle in disguise - but
Waddle was canny enough not to risk ridicule by revealing his true identity.
So ED will henceforce refer to Brayn Robson the manager by a completely different name. Something like Ryan Brobson.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Notts County chief executive Peter Trembling on Sol
Campbell: "While we are disappointed that Sol felt that he could not
adjust to the long-term nature of the project under way at Notts County, we
obviously wish him the best with the remainder of his career and hope that he
is able to obtain a place where he can play at international level ahead of the
2010 World Cup." ED thinks he was being sarcastic.