Terry Venables

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Terence Frederick Venables, more commonly known as Terry Venables (born January 6, 1943) is an English football manager, who managed the England national football team.

1 Playing career
2 Managerial career
3 Other interests
4 Bibliography
- 4.1 Football
- 4.2 Fiction
5 External links

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Playing career

Venables entered professional football in 1960 when he signed with Chelsea F.C., playing over 200 games before leaving for Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in 1966. In 1969, he joined Queens Park Rangers F.C. before finishing his playing career at Crystal Palace F.C. He was capped twice for England.

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Managerial career

On his retirement from playing, he took over the manager's role at Palace whom he coached to two promotions in three seasons, to get them to the First Division in 1979. After a mid-table finish in 1980 he left for Queens Park Rangers, whom he led to promotion in 1983 and a very respectable 5th place in the First Division the following season. He also guided Rangers to the FA Cup final in 1982 while still a second division side, but lost in a replay against Tottenham Hotspur.

His growing reputation bought him offers from some of Europe's most prestigious clubs and in 1984 he took the role of manager at Barcelona, earning the sobriquet El Tel. During his three seasons in Catalonia, Venables led the club to the Spanish title and league cup but lost in the final of the first post-Heysel European Cup to Steau Bucharest on penalties. He was sacked in September, 1987, after failing to repeat his title success at the Camp Nou.

In November 1987, he returned to the UK to manage Tottenham Hotspur. His success with the north London team was varied, with the side finishing in mid-table for most of his tenure, though they did win the FA Cup in 1991 and finished 3rd in 1990. Venables had brought both Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne to Spurs and was a favourite to replace Bobby Robson as England national football team manager when the job became vacant in 1990 but doubts about his probity led him to be passed over. Venables became Chief Executive in 1991 with Sugar as Chairman as both bought the club from the clutches of Robert Maxwell in June 1991. A clash of personalities developed and Sugar dismissed Venables on 14 May 1993, over his business dealings.

However, by November 1993, the England national football team had reached a nadir under Graham Taylor, who resigned after being unable to take England to the World Cup finals. Venables, though not active in the game, seemed to have the presence and charisma that could re-ignite some patriotic pride and achievement. However, the speculation coincided with Venables' business dealings falling under some scrutiny and censure. The Football Association struggled to identify an alternative candidate but their discomfort with his soiled reputation for probity was articulated in their appointment of him as England coach rather than under the traditional title of manager. His highest achievement came through his masterful tactical insights during the 1996 European Football Championship. His skill in analysis, coaching and motivation resulted in some of England's best ever footballing performances, including a famous 4-1 demolition of the Netherlands, and only ended in the bitter disappointment of losing to Germany on penalties in the semi-final.

However, Venables' business dealings offered a constant distraction and he left the England job shortly afterwards, going on to become a consultant and then chairman at Portsmouth. He eventually left in controversial circumstances with the club in turmoil both on and off the pitch. This ran parallel with a spell coaching the Australian national team. His side swept through the Oceania World Cup qualifying group but were beaten in a play-off by Iran on away goals after letting slip a 2-0 second leg lead.

In 1998, he was disqualified from acting as a company director for seven years under section 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act of 1986. In the same year he returned to Palace for a brief period before leaving acrimoniously.

His first experience of the FA Premier League came in 2000 when under-fire Middlesbrough manager Bryan Robson appointed him as his assistant in a bid to help the club avoid relegation. The club eventually finished 14th and survived. However, Venables felt Teeside too remote a base for his media and business interests and he left the club in 2001. In July, 2002, Venables joined Leeds United as manager. By December of that year, the side had crashed out of both the League Cup and the UEFA Cup and were languishing in mid-table. Leeds were already caught in a downward spiral of footballing failure, disappointing revenues and escalating wage costs and in January, 2003, the club's most effective and valuable players began to be sold to meet mounting debts. Under such circumstances, he was unable to stem the club's decline and he left in March, 2003.

He was to become the technical director of the "Newcastle United Jets", who will participate in the replacement for the Australian National Soccer League, the A-League, beginning 2005.

However, his many commitments in the UK will prevent him from taking up any job with the club, and his agent announced that he did not sign any deal with the club.

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Other interests

In 2002 Venables recorded a single for the World Cup together with the band Rider. England Crazy reached number 46 in the UK charts.

In addition to his widespread business interests, Venables has co-authored four novels with writer Gordon Williams and is credited as co-creator of the ITV detective series Hazell. He is, as of 2004, a football pundit for ITV.

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