‘He showed how to lead by example and was a huge influence on me – I took so much from how he went about things’: BRYAN ROBSON on KEVIN KEEGAN
I’ll never forget the first time I walked into the England dressing room and Kevin Keegan came up to me, hugged me and said, ‘Enjoy this, lad.’
He was the captain of that year, the superstar and the most successful footballer in Europe, but he had no swagger, no grace, no front line, just this great footballer and a man who had real support for him.
It was my first game against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley. We won 2-0 and Kevin scored both goals.
How to lead by example? This is great number 7. It was Kevin through and through. He had a huge impact on me.
He didn’t have to go out of his way to make fun of me, but he was genuinely welcoming. This big star noticed that I just needed some encouragement and added normalcy by saying ‘enjoy’. I play for England.
I took a lot away from how he handled things. He had a lot of energy and worked hard. This always stood out. You don’t become European player of the year twice on talent alone.
Kevin Keegan led by example when Bryan Robson joined the England squad. Left to right: Robson, Ray Wilkins, Keegan and Trevor Brooking at hotel in England for the 1982 World Cup in Spain
He gave everything in training, not only in matches.
Even today I think that if Kevin had been ready for the 1982 World Cup, we would have had a very good chance of winning it. Instead, a back injury meant he could only play a minor role as a substitute. But it was so good. It could have made the difference.
He retired at international level after that and I always thought it would be the most appropriate way for him to end his England career by winning the World Cup.
Even when he took over, his teams had their own style. He’s always attacking, always looking to entertain, and reflects great enthusiasm for how to play the game.
As we got older, we would meet for coffee around the corner in Hale. Reminiscing about the old days, especially England, laughing at the characters we knew and the experiences we had. I would see him at the after party and his stories were always so funny, he was a great storyteller. He’s a real star, a great player, but he could back it up by being a great guy.
Losing him is such a shock. It’s a sad, sad day.
My condolences to Jean and her daughters.
