It emerged that even Sven Eriksson owes something to Bobby Robson. Almost 35 years ago, the then Ipswich Town manager agreed to allow the ambitious young Swede watch him at work. Eriksson made at least two trips to Suffolk in the early 1970s to see one of the country's emerging managers making his way in the game. "I remember him very well," Robson said recently. "He just seemed to be a very nice young chap."
This chance meeting was reported whilst Eriksson was under pressure over the England Team gambling habits something Sir Bobby would no doubt have sorted out in his gentle and poilite manner.
Eriksson was at the time keen to ensure players did not gamble for thousands of pounds at a time on team busses, as was claimed, with the cards coming out even on the short journey from Bisham Abbey to Burnham Beeches. Beardsley his then assistant discounted the idea the sight of distinct groups on the England team coach was indicative of a huge problem.
"That's the way it is at every club, everybody has got their own seat. There will always be the same four players sitting there playing cards," he said. You have to admit building up ghambling debts cannot foster unitiy though. As to the seriousness of the England teams gambling, which normally took place in a six-strong card school, Beardsley admitted that he did not know exactly what the stakes were, but added that he was "not sure it was that severe. We knew the players played cards, but it happens at every club. We hadn't got a problem with that. If you tried to stop them playing cards or said it was wrong, they'd just go underground. When you get players for three and four days as an England manager does, you can't change a lot in the way they are."
The footballer-turned-racehorse-trainer Mick Quinn was derisive about Crozier's comments. "There were card schools at every club I was involved with," he admitted. "You have to find a way of relieving the boredom of a four-hour coach journey. Some guys get their music systems out and others play cards and I have never known it to have a detrimental effect on team spirit. I guess if you were losing vast sums, that might be a bit divisive, but I've never seen anyone lose more than £700." We need to remind ourselves that Mick was not on £100,000 a week and the fact is £700 could esily be £700,000. With players like Rooney losing mega bucks to bookmakers and sport betting companies.
