Robbo sees red

BBC Sport Online's Derek 'Robbo' Robson lets his critics have it with both barrels. Hear him ranting away by clicking the audio box on the left of the page.

S. Turner from Norfolk writes: The Embassy World Snooker championships will be much poorer without Jimmy White and Steve Davis - they should both receive wildcards, given their devotion to the sport.

Well I think that's an absolute load of crap, S.Turner from Norfolk. We don't wanna watch two former greats just proving to the rest of the over-40 brigade that it's a young man's game.

It's embarrassing watching Davis get the chance of a long pot and sitting squinting at it for half an hour.

I don't mind seeing the young lads knocking it about a bit, I just don't wanna watch these old blokes believing that somehow, from the dim and distant past, the memory of how to win a game is going to come back to them.

Let them go and be expert summarisers or whatever it is happens to these players when they're too old to play.

But don't you think the game's lacking characters with these lads coming through and the old guard being phased out?

There's no characters because there's so much money in the game these days, players are being more professional.

Robbo believes umpires should be given guns

So the people who had the flair but used to like a pint or two have sort of gone out of the game now, because talent on its own is not enough these days.

It's a shame the man who's half cut can't win the world championship any more, but that's the truth.

Bit of a cheeky one here from Dave in London, who says; Robbo, how do Formula 1 drivers pull such nice looking women? I know they've got a bit of cash, but most of them are right ugly so and sos.

Well, I wonder if Dave from London has ever done anything that might remotely be considered glamorous? I suspect sending an e-mail to this column is the most glamorous thing he's ever done.

Put yourself in the bird's shoes. You may or may not be a Cockney loser, I don't know, but I reckon if I was a lass and had to choose between you and Eddie Irvine.....

I know it's not fair, Dave, but that's life. My advice to you is to start with an ugly one and work your way up.

We've got one from a Newcastle fan here: Robbo, Do you think Boro will avoid the drop, and how do you think they do against Newcastle at St James' Park?

The first part, yes - we'll avoid the drop. The second part; 1-0, Boksic, 67th minute, far post header.

So you think the 'Barrow Boy' will teach them how to score again?

Oh yes - anyone can score at Newcastle can't they? It's not much of a fortress these days, St James Park. They've got a lot of foreigners, languange problems and bad hairstyles there.

Andy from Lancashire says: England look like they're heading for victory against Sri Lanka in the second Test, but with all the bad decisions and bad blood out there, it's more like a war zone than a cricket pitch - what's the answer, Robbo?

The first thing to do is get a decent umpire, secondly the players ought to be a bit more honest. If they touch the ball they should go - if they don't go they should be dropped or suspended for a period of time.

We'll keep slagging off Beckham till he does something

  Derek 'Robbo' Robson

Also, I think they could give the umpire more power so there won't be any argy-bargy on the pitch. I suggest they give the umpires a gun each.

That's a bit extreme isn't it Robbo?

Well, I think if I get a dodgy decision and I say 'Oh come on, umpire - I never touched it' and then he gets a gun out of his pocket, I'm walking - do you know what I mean?

It's very simple - bit of discipline on the cricket pitch, it'll work. It doesn't have to be a gun, it could be a crossbow - just something lethal.

Now that Greg Rusedski is deemed to be the greatest tennis player in the world, in which round of Wimbledon do you think he will be knocked out by Sampras? That comes from Stephen Nye.

It's quite clever that. I think he's being ironic there.

As for Rusedski, he's the dullest tennis player we've ever seen isn't he?

There's absolutely nothing surprising about watching a game with him in it. His serve goes in, he wins the game, his serve misses a bit and he loses the match.

I think it's a big girl's blouse game anyway. They should leave it to the lassies.

They might have made the balls go faster with all this technology, but it hasn't made it any more manly.

So which round then, Robbo?

I don't know, I haven't seen the draw. Er, er, fourth round.

OK, mate, I might stick a couple of quid on that. In fact I went to the bookies a couple of weeks ago for the big race and stuck a tenner on a horse called 'Robbo'. I think it's still running.

Tennis is a 'big girl's blouse game'

You backed it at 10-1, it came in at quarter past five?

You got it. Anyway, this comes from Tadiwa Kambarami, all the way from Zimbabwe. She says: All I can say is that everyone is always on David Beckham's case.

He is not a world class footballer, you say - well I do not see any of you doing anything spectacular for the world. He entertains people....

Doing anything spectacular?! For the world?! What are you talking about/ Who do you think I am - Michael bloody Jackson?!

For goodness sake, oh these defenders of Beckham. Listen love - if you are a woman - go and have his children for him, because you're just in love with him.

This is the trouble with lassies, they can't argue properly when it comes to Beckham. And what's he done anyway for England? He's scored one goal and got himself sent off in a very important match.

He just hasn't proved himself - it's a fact. SHUT UP! We'll keep slagging him off 'til he does something - all right?! Do you think Robbo is the voice of reason - or the voice of treason?

Tell him exactly what you think and don't hold back - he won't.

Look out for his weekly colum on Monday afternoon and remember, Robbo will be back on Friday to give his unique response.