Tributes have been paid to Terry Venables, the hugely charismatic and colourful manager who guided England to the verge of European Championship glory in 1996, after his death at the age of 80.
Few England managers have been more loved than El Tel, whose two-year tenure in charge of the national team ended in an agonising Euro 96 defeat to Germany on penalties.
After his family announced that Venables had died peacefully in his sleep after a long illness, numerous players came forward to praise his supreme tactical and man-management skills. They were led by former England footballer Gary Neville, who called Venables “without doubt the most technically gifted British coach we’ve ever produced”.
That sentiment was echoed by the current national manager, Gareth Southgate, who missed the crucial penalty against Germany. He said Venables was “an outstanding coach and manager. Tactically excellent, he had a wonderful manner, capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star,” Southgate said. “He was open-minded, forward-thinking, enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history.”
While disputes about Venables’ use of a Christmas tree formation raged before Euro 96, England’s startling 4-1 destruction of the Netherlands in the group stages silenced all doubters and made a nation believe that football really was coming home.
Writing in the Guardian the next day, David Lacey described it as one of England’s greatest ever displays. “It was like Eliza Doolittle suddenly discovering her aspirates,” he said. “The Dutch actually achieved more shots on goal but English gunnery won the most famous victory seen at Wembley since the 1966 final.”
Venables also achieved noticeable success in the club game, guiding Crystal Palace and Queens Park Rangers to the first division before moving to Spain, where he ended Barcelona’s 11-year title drought in 1986 and earned his nickname. Later he won the FA Cup with Tottenham in 1991.
In 1997 he took Australia to the verge of World Cup qualification for the first time in 24 years, only for Iran to recover from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and deny the Socceroos in a momentous game at the MCG.
Gary Lineker, who was managed by Venables at Barcelona and Tottenham, was effusive, calling him: “The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for. But he was much more, though, than just a great manager. He was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend. He’ll be hugely missed.”
Off the pitch Venables was often in the public eye. In the 1970s he co-authored the popular detective novels Hazell, with Gordon Williams. He also owned Scribes West, a private members club in Kensington, which he used as an office and a karaoke bar and to entertain selected journalists.
But controversy was also a frequent visitor. It was in June 1993 at the Old Bailey during a court case between Venables and the then Tottenham chairman, Alan Sugar, that the word “bung” first entered football’s vernacular. It came after Sugar claimed in court that Venables had told him that a transfer would proceed quicker if a brown envelope full of cash was given to then Nottingham Forest manager, Brian Clough, in a motorway service station.
While the bungs inquiry that followed claimed only one scalp – that of the Arsenal manager George Graham – Venables was back in court in October 1996 where he was ordered to pulp all remaining copies of his autobiography and pay £100,001 in damages to Sugar after a libel action. Venables claimed victory regardless, saying that most of the books had already been sold.
Shortly afterwards Venables was banned from being a company director for seven years after a Department of Trade and Industry case, which related to Venables’ alleged mismanagement of four companies, including Scribes West and Tottenham. However, he remained loved by football fans for his brand of progressive and highly entertaining football, which was far ahead of its time.
Venables was also a talented player, making 526 appearances and winning the League Cup at Chelsea and the FA Cup with Tottenham as well as two England caps. After he retired from football he moved permanently to Spain, where he ran a hotel and restaurant with wife, Yvette, in Alicante.
In a statement, Venables’s family said they were “totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully after a long illness. We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives”.
