Post by QPR Report on Jan 6, 2010 7:45:22 GMT
Bump/
Terry Venables Turns 80- Born January 6, 1943
Can't help feeling, he didn't quite achieve what he could and should have done. And if he'd stayed at QPR another five years (or ten years), who's to say...
Much has been written about Venables at Spurs and with England and his short periods at Australia, Crystal Palace (the second time), Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Leeds.
But when QPR signed him in June 1969 for a QPR record 70,000 pounds, it marked a massive turning point for QPR: Remembering him as a 27 year old; immediately appointed QPR captain...Taking all the throw ins (it seemed); and the corners...and the free kicks....Providing class and savvy and experience to a QPR team that had just gone down with a humiliating 18 points...
And under Gordaon Jago and Campbell, Venables although "just" a player was clearly a massive influence on tactics and free kicks and an on-the-field guide to theplayers.
And then when he returned to QPR as a manager replacing Tommy Docherty: The sense of KNOWING that QPR would be promoted. (Not to mention taking us to our only FA Cup Final) Brilliant coach. Good manager.. The feeling of total despair when he left QPR unmatched probably by any other managerial (or playing departure)
See Also:
- Terry Venables/WIkipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Venables
PHOTOS Via Bushman
15 minutes into the video: The famed Venables chip over the wall free kick for Gerry Francis to run in and score
+
+ Gregory and Venables over Gregory leaving and Venables take over
QPR Official Site - BLAST FROM THE PAST - TERRY VENABLES
]- In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, R's legend Terry Venables comes under the spotlight.
- Terry Venables had a dynamic impact on the history of Queens Park Rangers Football Club in two separate spells with the Club.
- He was captain of the Rangers side that won promotion to the First Division in 1973. Then as Manager, he led the R's to the FA Cup Final nine years later.
- A bright, inventive midfield player, Venables signed from Spurs in June 1969 for £70,000 and he became an integral part of the Hoops team that went on to entertain fans at the highest level.
Venables said: "I had always played in the First Division for Chelsea and Spurs before that. But I took a chance by going down to the Second Division with QPR because I thought there was so much talent at the Club - and it paid off because we won promotion to the top-flight.
"They were fantastic days at Rangers, as so many fine players shone through and developed. Rodney March, Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles, Phil Parkes, Dave Thomas, Dave Clement and Ian Gillard all went on to play for England in their time at Loftus Road and we became a really good side in the First Division."
Venables was a crafty innovator in a hooped shirt. For example, he devised cunning free-kicks where he would flick the ball over the wall for others to run on to and score.
"These things can blossom if you have people around you who are interested," said Venables.
"And we certainly had players at Rangers who really liked talking about the game. So we grew together as everyone wanted to improve their knowledge. We tried to expand on different things we had seen in football and put them into practise. It was a QPR squad who were determined to keep improving.
- "Personally, I was always keen on tactics and formations when I was playing. In fact, I helped out quite a bit with the coaching at Rangers when Gordon Jago was in charge and that was what started me off in the managerial business in later years."
- After making more than 200 First Team appearances for the R's, Venables moved to Crystal Palace in September 1974. He took over the managerial reigns at Selhurst Park two years later at the age of 33. Then in November 1980, he returned to Rangers as boss - inheriting a side that were struggling in the Second Division.
- "Chairman Jim Gregory paid Crystal Palace £100,000 compensation for me to go back to QPR as Manager. That was a lot of money then, but Jim had confidence in me and he put the cash up to strengthen the squad and that's what we did.
- "We were near the bottom of the table when I first returned. I just thought we needed to get some new players in and we built an exciting team. Again, we created an atmosphere where everybody wanted to learn each day in training.
- "I got on very well with Chairman Jim. I had a special working relationship with him. Sometimes good, sometimes bad! But we always thought a lot of each other.
- "Many people said he was a tough guy, but I thought his football knowledge was excellent. He did an incredible job and he really was 'Mr QPR.' It was his whole life and he built the Club up on and off the field. Without Jim, Loftus Road would still be the ramshackled ground that it was in the 1960's."
Venables was incredibly forward-thinking as Rangers Manager - and he oversaw the introduction of the controversial Omniturf playing surface in the summer of 1981.
"Jim was always worried about the terrible problems we had with the pitch. We couldn't get the drainage right. Even on a fairly nice day, it would always be like a quagmire.
- "Jim just didn't know what to do. Whatever he spent, he couldn't seem to solve the problem. So he said to me 'What about a plastic pitch?' We chatted for a while and it was a big step forward. And he said 'There are no rules to say we can't!'
- So I said 'Come on then - we'll do it!' And so we went for it!"
The 1981/82 season saw Rangers reach the FA Cup Final for the first and only time in the Club's history. And Venables reflects on the run with relish.
"We just kept going and going and going in the Cup that year. The Semi-Final against West Brom was a special day. They were doing well in the First Division and Cyrille Regis was on fire for them in attack.
"But we had big Bob Hazell at the back who was just as strong as Cyrille and he did a great marking job. And we won the tactical battle up front by playing with no centre-forwards. We pushed our strikers Clive Allen and Mike Flanagan out on to the wings so that the West Brom centre-halves didn't know who they were supposed to be marking.
"Then we had two games at Wembley for the Final. As a Second Division team, we took Tottenham to a replay. And it wasn't just a normal Spurs team - it was a very strong line-up with all the top players like Archibald, Crooks, Perryman, Clemence and Hoddle.
"In the first game, I thought Spurs were the better side but we drew in extra-time because we had a great fighting spirit. Then in the replay, I felt we were far better than them and even the Tottenham boys I have spoken to since then have agreed.
"Glenn Hoddle's penalty won it for Spurs, but I can never understand why Gary Micklewhite's goal for us was disallowed. He shot home from just inside the 18 yard box but there was no foul and it wasn't offside. And it was never, ever explained why it was ruled out! So that was a big disappointment that we didn't win the Cup as I thought we should have done it."
Rangers clinched the Second Division title the next year. We followed that by finishing fifth in the top-flight and therefore qualified for Europe. Then suddenly, Venables got a call to take over as coach at Barcelona and his time at Loftus Road was over. He has been involved with England as Manager and assistant manager since then of course.
Looking back, 'El Tel' is grateful to Rangers for launching him on the international stage and he has a true fondness for our Club.
"I reflect on my two spells at Loftus Road with great affection as we were very successful. I was there nearly 10 years as a player and Manager and they were marvellous times.
"Managing QPR was a wonderful period for me. We played two FA Cup Finals against Spurs, won promotion and then qualified for Europe in our first season up in the First Division. So we achieved something every year.
"Naturally I still follow the Club's fortunes. A couple of my friends go every week and we talk about Rangers all the time. I'm just thrilled to have been part of QPR and I really enjoyed my work there."
The other thread, including Roller's post
rollercoasterranger.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/terry-venables-my-first-hero/
qprreport.proboards.com/thread/34627/terry-venables-first-hero
Terry Venables Turns 80- Born January 6, 1943
Can't help feeling, he didn't quite achieve what he could and should have done. And if he'd stayed at QPR another five years (or ten years), who's to say...
Much has been written about Venables at Spurs and with England and his short periods at Australia, Crystal Palace (the second time), Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Leeds.
But when QPR signed him in June 1969 for a QPR record 70,000 pounds, it marked a massive turning point for QPR: Remembering him as a 27 year old; immediately appointed QPR captain...Taking all the throw ins (it seemed); and the corners...and the free kicks....Providing class and savvy and experience to a QPR team that had just gone down with a humiliating 18 points...
And under Gordaon Jago and Campbell, Venables although "just" a player was clearly a massive influence on tactics and free kicks and an on-the-field guide to theplayers.
And then when he returned to QPR as a manager replacing Tommy Docherty: The sense of KNOWING that QPR would be promoted. (Not to mention taking us to our only FA Cup Final) Brilliant coach. Good manager.. The feeling of total despair when he left QPR unmatched probably by any other managerial (or playing departure)
See Also:
- Terry Venables/WIkipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Venables
PHOTOS Via Bushman
15 minutes into the video: The famed Venables chip over the wall free kick for Gerry Francis to run in and score
+
+ Gregory and Venables over Gregory leaving and Venables take over
QPR Official Site - BLAST FROM THE PAST - TERRY VENABLES
]- In our latest instalment of exclusive past player interviews on www.qpr.co.uk, R's legend Terry Venables comes under the spotlight.
- Terry Venables had a dynamic impact on the history of Queens Park Rangers Football Club in two separate spells with the Club.
- He was captain of the Rangers side that won promotion to the First Division in 1973. Then as Manager, he led the R's to the FA Cup Final nine years later.
- A bright, inventive midfield player, Venables signed from Spurs in June 1969 for £70,000 and he became an integral part of the Hoops team that went on to entertain fans at the highest level.
Venables said: "I had always played in the First Division for Chelsea and Spurs before that. But I took a chance by going down to the Second Division with QPR because I thought there was so much talent at the Club - and it paid off because we won promotion to the top-flight.
"They were fantastic days at Rangers, as so many fine players shone through and developed. Rodney March, Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles, Phil Parkes, Dave Thomas, Dave Clement and Ian Gillard all went on to play for England in their time at Loftus Road and we became a really good side in the First Division."
Venables was a crafty innovator in a hooped shirt. For example, he devised cunning free-kicks where he would flick the ball over the wall for others to run on to and score.
"These things can blossom if you have people around you who are interested," said Venables.
"And we certainly had players at Rangers who really liked talking about the game. So we grew together as everyone wanted to improve their knowledge. We tried to expand on different things we had seen in football and put them into practise. It was a QPR squad who were determined to keep improving.
- "Personally, I was always keen on tactics and formations when I was playing. In fact, I helped out quite a bit with the coaching at Rangers when Gordon Jago was in charge and that was what started me off in the managerial business in later years."
- After making more than 200 First Team appearances for the R's, Venables moved to Crystal Palace in September 1974. He took over the managerial reigns at Selhurst Park two years later at the age of 33. Then in November 1980, he returned to Rangers as boss - inheriting a side that were struggling in the Second Division.
- "Chairman Jim Gregory paid Crystal Palace £100,000 compensation for me to go back to QPR as Manager. That was a lot of money then, but Jim had confidence in me and he put the cash up to strengthen the squad and that's what we did.
- "We were near the bottom of the table when I first returned. I just thought we needed to get some new players in and we built an exciting team. Again, we created an atmosphere where everybody wanted to learn each day in training.
- "I got on very well with Chairman Jim. I had a special working relationship with him. Sometimes good, sometimes bad! But we always thought a lot of each other.
- "Many people said he was a tough guy, but I thought his football knowledge was excellent. He did an incredible job and he really was 'Mr QPR.' It was his whole life and he built the Club up on and off the field. Without Jim, Loftus Road would still be the ramshackled ground that it was in the 1960's."
Venables was incredibly forward-thinking as Rangers Manager - and he oversaw the introduction of the controversial Omniturf playing surface in the summer of 1981.
"Jim was always worried about the terrible problems we had with the pitch. We couldn't get the drainage right. Even on a fairly nice day, it would always be like a quagmire.
- "Jim just didn't know what to do. Whatever he spent, he couldn't seem to solve the problem. So he said to me 'What about a plastic pitch?' We chatted for a while and it was a big step forward. And he said 'There are no rules to say we can't!'
- So I said 'Come on then - we'll do it!' And so we went for it!"
The 1981/82 season saw Rangers reach the FA Cup Final for the first and only time in the Club's history. And Venables reflects on the run with relish.
"We just kept going and going and going in the Cup that year. The Semi-Final against West Brom was a special day. They were doing well in the First Division and Cyrille Regis was on fire for them in attack.
"But we had big Bob Hazell at the back who was just as strong as Cyrille and he did a great marking job. And we won the tactical battle up front by playing with no centre-forwards. We pushed our strikers Clive Allen and Mike Flanagan out on to the wings so that the West Brom centre-halves didn't know who they were supposed to be marking.
"Then we had two games at Wembley for the Final. As a Second Division team, we took Tottenham to a replay. And it wasn't just a normal Spurs team - it was a very strong line-up with all the top players like Archibald, Crooks, Perryman, Clemence and Hoddle.
"In the first game, I thought Spurs were the better side but we drew in extra-time because we had a great fighting spirit. Then in the replay, I felt we were far better than them and even the Tottenham boys I have spoken to since then have agreed.
"Glenn Hoddle's penalty won it for Spurs, but I can never understand why Gary Micklewhite's goal for us was disallowed. He shot home from just inside the 18 yard box but there was no foul and it wasn't offside. And it was never, ever explained why it was ruled out! So that was a big disappointment that we didn't win the Cup as I thought we should have done it."
Rangers clinched the Second Division title the next year. We followed that by finishing fifth in the top-flight and therefore qualified for Europe. Then suddenly, Venables got a call to take over as coach at Barcelona and his time at Loftus Road was over. He has been involved with England as Manager and assistant manager since then of course.
Looking back, 'El Tel' is grateful to Rangers for launching him on the international stage and he has a true fondness for our Club.
"I reflect on my two spells at Loftus Road with great affection as we were very successful. I was there nearly 10 years as a player and Manager and they were marvellous times.
"Managing QPR was a wonderful period for me. We played two FA Cup Finals against Spurs, won promotion and then qualified for Europe in our first season up in the First Division. So we achieved something every year.
"Naturally I still follow the Club's fortunes. A couple of my friends go every week and we talk about Rangers all the time. I'm just thrilled to have been part of QPR and I really enjoyed my work there."
The other thread, including Roller's post
rollercoasterranger.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/terry-venables-my-first-hero/
qprreport.proboards.com/thread/34627/terry-venables-first-hero
