FORMER REPUBLIC of Ireland manager Steve Staunton has paid warm tribute to Bobby Robson, speaking of his former colleague’s passing as “a sad loss to football”.

Staunton stayed in regular contact with the 76-year-old after their time together at the Irish helm came to an end and the Louthman was aware of his friend’s declining health in recent months. Still, he said, he was deeply saddened by the new of his death.

“He was a great man,” he said, “well regarded and revered throughout the whole world, not just England and Ireland, the whole world.

“His achievements in football . . .” he continued, “well, there aren’t many above him, that’s for sure. I’d met him before the Ireland job . . . you get to know people in football but I count myself lucky I’ve been one of few who had the privilege of working beside him and getting to know him personally. I’m grateful for that.

“His knowledge of football was outstanding but he was always a modest and gracious man who would go out of his way in many different ways to help people.”

Robson had suffered a number of bouts of cancer over the years and during his time with Ireland a skiing accident led to the discovery that the disease had returned.

During the months that followed he underwent intensive treatment and missed a number of the Ireland games but Staunton says he remained determined to make a contribution when others might have given up.

“He fought his illness with great courage,” he said, “but that was the measure of the man. He never wanted to let anyone down and I remember him trying to get on planes that even I was trying to persuade him he shouldn’t take.”

Robson had been appointed by the FAI to mentor Staunton as he learned the ropes in what was his first job in football management. Perhaps, in part, because of his illness the plan didn’t really work out and the pair oversaw a particularly difficult time for the team.

Initially it had seemed that making Robson the actual manager and allowing him to groom Staunton to replace him while the former Ireland skipper served as his assistant would have made more sense and the FAI’s next appointee would indeed be a veteran manager from abroad with nothing left to prove. As things turned out, of course, handing Robson the senior role would not have been successful either.

When he was available, though, Robson was consistently impressive to deal with. His passion for and knowledge of the game always shone through and news of his death yesterday prompted fond recollections amongst the journalists who covered the team during that period. He reacted to a question about Paul McShane marking Jan Koller by throwing himself into a tactical demonstration involving all of our tape machines and a bottle of water to represent the giant Czech striker.

He was always supportive of Staunton, repeatedly pleading his case to be given more time.

“You just have to see the outpouring in the towns,” said Damien Duff yesterday. “He is not only a legend in Newcastle and around the country but around the world. It is a sad day.”

Jack Charlton was Republic of Ireland manager when they beat Robson’s England at the 1988 European Championship. Like Robson, he was from the north-east and the two men spent a lot of time in each other’s company.

“He was a dedicated man in finding out about other teams – he was always at football matches,” said Charlton. “I liked Bob, he was a good lad, a good friend of mine.”

An FAI statement read: “It was with great sadness that the Football Association of Ireland today learned of the death of Sir Bobby Robson. A legend in the world of football, Sir Bobby acted as International Football Consultant for the FAI from January 2006 until November 2007, after which he continued as an Ambassador for the FAI.

“The FAI today expressed its sympathy to Sir Bobby’s wife, Lady Elsie, and their three sons.”

FAI chief executive John Delaney said: “Sir Bobby’s contribution to the sport of football is immeasurable. His success was rooted in the fact that he was a thoroughly genuine man and was at all times an absolute gentleman.

“Sir Bobby represented football and the FAI with the pride, passion and dignity which earned him a place in the hearts of football fans around the world.”