Following a protracted illness, former England manager Terry Venables passed away at the age of 80.
From 1994 until 1996, Venables was England’s manager. During that time, he most famously guided the team to the home semifinals of Euro 96.
He also had stints managing Australia, Tottenham, and Barcelona.
“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness,” stated the family.
“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.”
With Barcelona, Venables won La Liga, advanced to the European Cup final, and won the FA Cup with Tottenham.
He played for Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, and Tottenham, among other clubs, and earned two caps for England. Between 1960 and 1975, he made over 500 club appearances.
“The most inventive and best coach”
Terry Venables signed with Barcelona, and former England captain Gary Lineker commented, “Devastated to hear that Terry Venables has died.” The most creative and best coach I’ve ever had the honour of playing for.
But he was much more than a superb manager. He was lively, endearing, intelligent, and a buddy. He will be terribly missed.
The Euro 96 team’s former captain of England, Alan Shearer, tweeted: “Very sad news. The brilliant Terry Venables is no longer with us. Boss, RIP. I owe you a great deal. You were truly remarkable.”
Venables was referred to as “a brilliant man who made people feel special” by current England manager Gareth Southgate, who missed the game-winning penalty in Germany’s semifinal shootout loss.
“Any player would have a strong bond with the manager who provided them with their break,” he stated, “but it became immediately clear to me that Terry Venables was an exceptional manager and coach when I played for him.
“With his amazing demeanour and tactical skills, he could manage players of all skill levels, from beginners to the biggest names in the game.
“He was open-minded, forward thinking, enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to flourish and have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history.”
Before Sunday’s Premier League home match against Aston Villa, Tottenham conducted a minute of applause, and the players donned black armbands.
Watch Tottenham vs. Villa live
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former player and manager,” Spurs declared.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis- identifies his favourite football player as man of humanity
“If you are asking about a person who embodies everything this football club has always wanted to be, it is Terry,” Sky Sports quoted current manager Ange Postecoglou as saying. It had more to do with who he was than with how he led or trained.
“He also had an impact on Australia. The greatest testimonial is that everyone I have ever met who has worked with him would tell you that he is the best manager, coach, and tactician they have ever encountered. He managed the national team and nearly brought us to the World Cup.”
Venables was described as “without a doubt the most technically gifted British coach we’ve ever produced” by former England defender Gary Neville.
“A man who gave me a chance to play for my country and became without a shadow of doubt my number one England coach in my whole career,” Neville stated.
“There was a genuine regret when he left at the end of Euro 96, and England really needed more players like him. I believed that under him, England’s fortunes would never again be as good.”
Barcelona stated that they “deeply regret the passing of Terry Venables, who managed Barca from 1984 to 1987” .
‘El Tel’ midfielder Venables began his career with Chelsea as an apprentice in 1958 at the age of 15, and he made his debut against West Ham in 1960. See his journey from Chelsea to England manager.
After stints at Tottenham, QPR, and Crystal Palace, he went on to play 202 league games for Chelsea, where he won the League Cup.
After retiring from playing during the 1974–75 season, Venables joined Malcolm Allison as a coach at Third Division Palace.
Allison was replaced by Venables in 1976, and he led the team to promotion to the Second Division in 1977 and champion status in 1979.
Between 1980 and 1984, Venables worked at QPR for four years, achieving another promotion to the First Division during that time. Bobby Robson, the England manager, suggested Venables be hired as manager of Barcelona.
Known by his nickname “El Tel,” Venables guided Barca to their first La Liga championship since 1974 in 1985. He also led the team to the European Cup final the next year, where they were defeated by Steaua Bucharest on penalties.
After being fired by Barcelona in 1987, he went back to manage Tottenham in England, where he won the FA Cup in 1991.
Venables was appointed manager of England in 1994, having been passed over when Graham Taylor took charge in 1990.
Having qualified as the hosts for the 1996 European Championship, England defeated Scotland and the Netherlands in two historic victories.
Following their loss at Wembley in the semi-final, Venables resigned.
He later managed Middlesbrough, Leeds United, Australia, and Palace once more.
In 2006, he rejoined the England team as Steve McClaren’s assistant. However, he quit after England was eliminated from the 2008 European Championship.
