Newcastle United are about to confirm the appointment of highly-rated former Middlesbrough star Robbie Stockdale – a man who has lived the dream as a player but is eager to help youngsters realise their dreams
Sunderland coach Robbie Stockdale(Image: Sunderland AFC)
Newcastle United’s next generation find themselves in the company of a North-East stalwart who lived the dream as a raw Redcar youngster.
In Robbie Stockdale stands one of game’s most highly-rated coaches that once watched on as the sparkle of Fabrizio Ravanelli’s designer sunglasses and suits dazzled the Middlesbrough dressing room during an era in which the Teessiders attracted global talents like the Italian marksman and Brazilian duo Juninho and Emerson.
Back then Stockdale was a starry-eyed youngster destined for seven years at Boro as the club dared to rub shoulders with the big guns and the former trainee rubbed shoulders with the likes of Gazza, Paul Ince, Samba star Juninho and Alen Boksic no less.
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Stockdale also knows the twists and turns of the professional game in England which also included stops at Grimsby, Tranmere and Darlington – but now hopes he can use his guile and experience to help steer some of United’s young hopefuls on to the big stage at St James’ Park.
If Stockdale can help pluck another youngster or two like Lewis Miley, Sean Longstaff or Elliot Anderson from the second string into Eddie Howe’s team to play alongside Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Elanga or Malick Thiaw, he knows he won’t have done too bad.
But by the same token, Stockdale also appreciates that he is here to help youngsters who might just end up on the road to Grimsby or Rotherham too.
The UEFA Pro Licence holder became available last year after various stints in the EFL, not to mention caretaker stints as Sunderland boss, and once Stockdale became available for hire Eddie Howe didn’t hesitate to say: “Do it.”
Stockdale, who finds himself shaping a second string team that includes Park Seung-soo, Alfie Harrison from Man City, Trevan Sanusi and local lads like Sean Neave and Joe Brayson, told Chronicle Live: “You’d always want to give your local boys the best possible chance to play for Newcastle United.
“That is the same at any club, isn’t it?
“But you’d be naive to think you could make a full team out of that, so supplementing them with players from further afield in England, Europe or even the world now, it is a different market to what I grew up in.
“It is always about developing – and getting better and better.”
Newcastle know all about the importance of the Under-21 team as the look to play catch up on different levels in the modern game and four years after the Saudi-backed takeover.
They lost 5-0 to a Chelsea side who have made strides by drafting in young talent from other clubs and selling at a profit.
That’s one way of doing it of course but in the PSR-dominated environment Newcastle are embroiled in, producing a talented star to save money in the transfer market is also vital.
Like it or not selling Anderson to Nottingham Forest for £35m and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton for £30m helped stave off a points deduction that could have ruined Newcastle’s European bid.
Newcastle signed Harrison from Man City, Sanusi from Birmingham and Leo Shahar fro, Wolves for cash to make their reserves stronger.
Stockdale is focused on development, not PSR, but said: “You know, you see some of the players that have been brought in that will eventually get into the senior squad, which will help and strengthen the squad.
“I always think that individuals shine better in a good team, ultimately, that is the aim of the football club, they want everybody to get better.
“If that means we bring players in to help the players we have got here, that is what they’ll do.”
If Newcastle can produce a team of stars from around the world with a mix of homegrown stars, it will be job done for Stockdale. He knows if he can succeed in that mission there could be connections for life.
The Boro side that dared to dream in the Premier League and reached cup finals along the way still bump into each other on the circuit and at functions now and again, well almost all of them.
When I asked Stockdale if he still enjoyed a get-together with former Juventus ace Ravenelli, he quipped: “I wouldn’t say I still get together with Rav no! But obviously, the guys from the UK who were in the team and are still in touch.
“It’s good because we all went on that journey together, there is nothing better than coming through the team that you supported and playing with stars.
“We came through the youth system at Boro and done that, and that’s what we want for the players here. We want to push them on and try to get them into our first-team and if that is not the case then go out and have careers in the game, it’s so important.”
There is a relatively well trodden path from the Academy at Little Benton across to the first-team training fields at Benton these days.
In recent years Lewis Miley, Anderson and Sean and Matty Longstaff have all lived their dream but the aim is to have more and more youngsters pulling on a black and white shirt that didn’t cost a penny in transfer fees.
Stockdale said: “I have not been here a great amount time but two things, they are not only the benchmark, but it proves that it can be done.
“I think that is the most important thing, they see that it can happen. There is nothing better than supporting a hometown boy in your hometown team.”
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