Mark Robson was understandably somewhat nervous as he boarded the flight house from Madrid.
Sir Bobby Robson’s son had a treasured piece of hand baggage he wanted to get again in a single piece – a Ballon d’Or world coach of the 12 months award.
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The gong was donated by Jose Mourinho for a charity public sale within the title of his late mentor in 2011.
It went on to assist elevate £26,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Basis, which goals to seek out simpler methods to detect and deal with most cancers.
And the household have by no means forgotten the gesture.
“It was extremely considerate of Jose to try this,” Mark mentioned. “It reveals you what he’s like deep down.”
It additionally illustrates the lasting affection Mourinho has for Sir Bobby, who he shadowed as an interpreter and assistant for 5 years within the Nineties, because the Portuguese prepares to take his Benfica aspect to St James’ Park.
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Make no mistake, Mourinho might be determined to file simply his fourth win on Tyneside when his group face Newcastle United within the Champions League on Tuesday night time.
However this can nonetheless be a event laced with emotion as he returns to “Mr Robson’s house” and makes his well beyond the bust of the previous Newcastle supervisor within the gamers’ entrance.
So how was this shut bond cast?
Way more than an interpreter
This was a time lengthy earlier than the ‘Particular One’ moniker.
Actually, it was Sir Bobby, moderately than Mourinho, who was mobbed as he made his means via arrivals in 1992.
The previous England supervisor had simply touched down in Lisbon to take cost of Sporting and membership president Sousa Cintra was there to greet him.
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Nevertheless, the Portuguese didn’t communicate English so he introduced polyglot Mourinho alongside.
Mourinho had been beneficial by Sporting assistant Manuel Fernandes, who had beforehand labored with the budding coach at Vitoria de Setubal and Estrela da Amadora.
It was a second that modified the course of Mourinho’s life.
Mourinho stood alongside Sir Bobby on the coaching floor. He helped get his message throughout to the gamers and within the media and even accompanied him in conferences with the hierarchy.
The pair have been thrown collectively, with a 30-year age hole, nevertheless it was rapidly obvious to Sporting defender Stan Valckx that they made a “good couple”.
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“Throughout the group discuss earlier than the sport, Bobby spoke for a couple of minutes to clarify one thing and, then, Mourinho translated it into Portuguese,” he mentioned. “It took 10 minutes with many feelings in what he was saying.
“It was apparent that he was way more than an interpreter. He was very loyal and really formidable. He was an enormous assist for Bobby.
“Generally he did workout routines on the pitch and movies like what an assistant coach does. In these years, 90% of the Portuguese gamers did not communicate English so there was plenty of work. Mourinho was very busy. To illustrate it like that.”
‘His eyes and ears’
It was via Mourinho that Sir Bobby would later be taught he had been sacked.
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Sporting might have been high of the league in December 1993, however Cintra grabbed the intercom to make a dramatic announcement on the group flight again from Austria.
The membership president introduced in his native tongue that Sir Bobby can be dismissed following his aspect’s elimination from the Uefa Cup by the hands of On line casino Salzburg.
But it was not the top of Sir Bobby and Mourinho’s partnership.
Sir Bobby consulted Mourinho when he was supplied the Porto job a 12 months or so later and, tellingly, took his assistant with him.
“If one thing was mentioned behind dad’s again, Jose was watching,” Mark Robson mentioned.
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“He was his eyes and ears, and a sounding board. You want a right-hand [man] in these environments and [Mourinho] was that man.
“As a result of he was such a powerful character – even at that age – he may deal with it and do it quietly and effectively.
“If there have been any disruptors, Jose would spot them and pop may take care of it. It clearly labored properly – the proof is within the pudding.”
Sir Bobby went on to win 5 trophies at Porto, together with two league titles, earlier than Barcelona got here calling in 1996.
And there was one specific member of workers he was decided to take with him.
‘I realized that love from Mr Robson’
These on the high at Barcelona initially wished somebody with membership connections to be Sir Bobby’s assistant, however he insisted it needed to be Mourinho.
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For good cause.
Sir Bobby was strolling right into a divided membership following the departure of legendary supervisor Johan Cruyff and wanted somebody he trusted implicitly, who may assist get his message throughout in one other international language.
By this stage, Mourinho’s position had lengthy since advanced.
He helped out on the coaching floor. He produced scouting dossiers on the opposition that Sir Bobby rated as the most effective he had ever seen. Crucially, he was used to coping with worldwide gamers.
In a testing setting, the pair complemented one another as soon as once more as midfielder Guillermo Amor defined.
“They managed to create ambiance and make a really sturdy group,” he mentioned.
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“Jose had extra contact with the gamers as a consequence of his fluency within the language and his age, which was similar to ours.
“He had nice respect for Bobby and Bobby had nice religion in all the pieces Jose may do on the sphere and within the locker room.”
Sir Bobby went on to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the Copa Del Rey and the Spanish Cup in what proved to be his remaining season with Mourinho earlier than the Barcelona supervisor was moved upstairs and changed by Louis van Gaal.
Mourinho instructed Sir Bobby he wished to depart out of loyalty however his mentor satisfied him to remain, having already briefed van Gaal concerning the deserves of retaining his assistant.
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Had Mourinho not spent three additional three years on the Nou Camp below van Gaal, the Portuguese may properly have adopted Sir Bobby to Newcastle in 1999.
As a substitute he went it alone – however Sir Bobby’s affect lives on.
To this present day, Mourinho cherishes these moments the pair’s households shared in Sitges, the meals Sir Bobby by no means let him pay for and the teachings he taught him about life.
It’s why the 62-year-old considers himself a “little Magpie”.
“The membership up there understand how a lot love and respect I’ve for them,” he instructed CBS earlier this month. “I realized that love from Mr Robson.”