RIP thread

[Durhamfootman]

El Tel, Terry Venables, 80, long illness

It hadn't even occurred to me that he could be 80

I'd forgotten that he also managed Australia

[Arthur Crabtree]

Co-wrote a series of detective stories that were serialised on tv as Hazell.

One of the better England managers for me. But then he was preceded by Graham Taylor and succeeded by Glenn Hoddle, so maybe it's relative.

RIP.

[GarlicJam]

I had forgotten that he coached Aus as well.


My one memory of Taylor was him being lampooned as a turnip on the back page of one of the red tops, after a particularly English loss.

[Gingerfinch]

I was shocked to hear he was 80. Always acted and looked younger.

Euro 96 was a great time to be a Football fan. Although we weren't quite as good as people say, that Dutch game was a special night.

RIP El Tel

[Arthur Crabtree]

My one memory of Taylor was him being lampooned as a turnip on the back page of one of the red tops, after a particularly English loss.

Got a feeling he was a swede after England lost to Sweden.

[GarlicJam]

My one memory of Taylor was him being lampooned as a turnip on the back page of one of the red tops, after a particularly English loss.

Got a feeling he was a swede after England lost to Sweden.

I just looked it up - the scoreline on another paper reads Swedes - 2, Turnips - 1

And as the purple bit was the only part discernable as a vegetable, it could have been a Swede or a Turnip.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Seems there was a series of them. Dark days for the England side, but the tabloids were unnecessarily obnoxious.

[GarlicJam]

Seems there was a series of them. Dark days for the England side, but the tabloids were unnecessarily obnoxious.

an interesting term.

Yes, I suppose there might be times that a little necessary obnoxiousness is in order

[GarlicJam]

not from the tabloids - they ARE unnecessarily obnoxious.

[sussexpob]

Seems there was a series of them. Dark days for the England side, but the tabloids were unnecessarily obnoxious.

After 30 odd years the world has changed a lot, and people young enough to be in touch with modern culture, but old enough to remember this period, nowadays treat the level of distain Taylor received from the press as something shameful, and I have seen a few articles floating about the English football press in recent years attempting to re-examine his tenure, and to suggest that more than anything Taylor was unlucky with a series of brutal injuries and retirements to key players.

I guess there is truth in that, but there is also truth in the fact he made a string of really bizarre personnel choices, and the documentary that was released of his time as England manager post 1992 (Do I Not Like That) paints the picture of a man well out of his depth, and with nothing much inspiring and technically great to say, other than to mutter a few cliches or some other nonsense.

[sussexpob]

Call it blind nostalgia, but my overriding memory of 1996 was that it was arguably the last time I remember English people having a remotely default positive outlook on the world. There was something about Britpop that gave England its swagger and confidence back briefly, and in my head at least, I remember it fondly.

Venables and the team at Euro 1996 were an example of that. Surrounded either side by dour, pragmatism on the pitch spanning many years, at least Venables set up with a belief that England could win that 1996 tournament. At times we played really well, and its hard not to overestimate that drubbing of Holland, who were an absolutely brilliant side at the time. And while Southgate's losing semi-finals/finals left bitterness, when we lost to Germany I can remember having a sense of pride, like we had finally knocked off the cobwebs and had reached the elite table of world football after years of underachievement. That cross that Gazza missed by millimeters... if only... if only...

I guess for that reason alone, Venables has a fond place in my heart. Thanks for the memories, Terry. Rest easy....

[Arthur Crabtree]

As England manager, he got them playing with more composure right away. His new picks were usually good, with Teddy Sherringham a stand out. They weren't one of the best sides around, but they usually gave a good account of themselves under TV.

[Gingerfinch]

Call it blind nostalgia, but my overriding memory of 1996 was that it was arguably the last time I remember English people having a remotely default positive outlook on the world. There was something about Britpop that gave England its swagger and confidence back briefly, and in my head at least, I remember it fondly.

Venables and the team at Euro 1996 were an example of that. Surrounded either side by dour, pragmatism on the pitch spanning many years, at least Venables set up with a belief that England could win that 1996 tournament. At times we played really well, and its hard not to overestimate that drubbing of Holland, who were an absolutely brilliant side at the time. And while Southgate's losing semi-finals/finals left bitterness, when we lost to Germany I can remember having a sense of pride, like we had finally knocked off the cobwebs and had reached the elite table of world football after years of underachievement. That cross that Gazza missed by millimeters... if only... if only...

I guess for that reason alone, Venables has a fond place in my heart. Thanks for the memories, Terry. Rest easy....

Euro 96 was terrific. Like you say, the Britpop sound was in full swing and the sun seemed to shine for most of Euro 96. I was playing Cricket the day we (luckily) beat Spain on pens but watched all the other games down the pub, which seemed like the start of pubs being packed for the Football.

[alfie]

Sad to see Terry has left us earlier than he might. One of my favourite managers - whether running England , Australia , or a club side. He seemed to be not just serious about winning but also someone who actually enjoyed the process - and passed that attitude on to his players. RIP El Tel.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Kissinger, the man who killed satire, is now also dead.