Alan Shearer said he owed him “so much”, Gary Lineker said he was “the best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for” and Gary Neville called him “without doubt the most technically gifted British coach we’ve ever produced”.
Tributes poured in for former England manager Terry Venables when, on November 26th 2023, it was announced he had passed away from a long illness.
Venables was born on January 6th 1943 and was brought up in Dagenham, Essex, where his love for football was fostered through kickabouts and encouragement from his family. “When I walked out with England,” he said in an interview with The Guardian in 2014, “I carried their values with me because Dagenham prepared me for life.”
Embed from Getty ImagesVenables had a storied career as a player, notching over 600 appearances as a midfielder for Chelsea, Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace, picking up an FA Cup, League Cup and a few League One promotions along the way. However, it was Venables’ work as a coach and manager that would go on to cement his legacy in English football history.
Crystal Palace and QPR
Transitioning from being a player, Venables became a coach under Malcolm Allison at Palace, eventually becoming manager of the club in 1976. His youth-oriented squad propelled the Eagles from the third division to the first division within three seasons, finishing 13th in Division One in 1979/80, which was the club’s then-highest finish in their history. Though it was dubbed the ‘Team of the Eighties’, Venables didn’t remain at Palace for much of that decade, eventually switching back to another of his former clubs with Queens Park Rangers in 1980.
Embed from Getty ImagesVenables’ reputation grew while at Loftus Road, guiding QPR to promotion to the first division in 1983. His four-year reign also included reaching the 1982 FA Cup final whilst still being in the second tier, though lost out to Tottenham in a closely fought replay. In his final year at QPR, he led them to European football qualification before being swept to the bright lights of the Nou Camp.
Barcelona and Tottenham
His appointment at FC Barcelona earned him his nickname of ‘El Tel’ and his time at the Catalonians was mixed with great success and disappointment. Employing the style of play he’d built up over the years in English football, Venables brought home a first league title in eleven years and the short-lived Copa de la Liga trophy in 1986, reaching the Copa del Rey final in the same year but losing to Real Zaragoza.
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1986 also saw Barcelona reach the European Cup final, overturning a 3-0 first-leg defeat against IFK Goteborg in the semi-finals to set up a contest against Romania’s Steaua București. After a goalless ninety minutes, Venables’ side eventually crumbled on penalties, losing 2-0.
Embed from Getty ImagesA disappointing following season saw Venables return home to London, and to another of his former clubs Tottenham Hotspur. Some middling finishes in the league were coupled with third placers and an FA Cup win in 1990/91, Spurs’ most recent victory in the famous old competition.
England
Despite all his successes and genius at club level, it was perhaps Venables’ stint as England national team manager that was his most defining role. Though he was originally tipped to take over from Bobby Robson after Italia 90, he eventually landed the ‘Impossible Job’ in 1994 following Graham Taylor’s ill-fated tenure.
Controversy surrounding Venables’ business dealings meant his job was in jeopardy almost as it began. After a refusal to extend his contract beyond 1996, Venables said he would leave the post after taking charge at Euro 96. The pressure cooker of leading England into a home championship, and his knowledge that it would likely be his only chance to lead England in any major tournament, must’ve invigorated him because what followed was a summer of joyous football that has lived long in any England fans memories.
Wins against the Netherlands and Scotland have been staples of England highlights reels in the years since, as has, in a less positive fashion, the agonising loss to Germany in the semi-finals. Current England manager, and member of the 96 squad, Gareth Southgate said “Terry opened my eyes to things that no one else has … He has fantastic tactical awareness. Every senior player in the group went away having learnt a lot from him, which is an achievement.”
Venables would finish his managerial career with time at Australia, Crystal Palace (again), Middlesbrough and Leeds United, with some coaching roles afterwards. He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
Embed from Getty ImagesA Player’s Manager
Though Venables’ astute tactical knowledge and flexibility have often been praised, his character and personality as a coach are routinely highlighted by former understudies of his. Some of the players fostered under his systems went on to become greats of English and European football, such as Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, and delivered major high points at almost every job he took.
The outpouring of love and appreciation from across the country following his passing is a testament to his talent and likeability, which was key to his success as a coach and man manager.
Embed from Getty ImagesFootball has the ability to impact thousands to millions of people, and so those involved always have the chance to leave an enduring legacy. Terry Venables certainly did that and more.
