Terry Venables

[stojkovic]

Davids was sent home in Euro 96 for giving Hiddink(his manager) some grief in a radio interview. Think he said something along the lines of "will he ever take his head out of the players asses". As it happens they patched up their differences without the the need for Tommy Gorman and Davids was probably Hollands best player in France 98.

Yeah Davids claimed that the WHITE players (Bergkamp, vd Sar, Overmars, the Twins) were picking the team.

[amaccann]

Oh? Have the rags finally got wind of actual fans' feelings?

[superfrank]

For once I agree with Eamonn Dunphy. He's really going to town on Venables on RTÉ right now.

Imo, Terry Venables should be let nowhere near the Ireland job. He's a joke of a manager.

[Noelys Guitar]

For once I agree with Eamonn Dunphy. He's really going to town on Venables on RTÉ right now.

Imo, Terry Venables should be let nowhere near the Ireland job. He's a joke of a manager.

What have Giles and Dunphy being saying about the job?

[superfrank]

Whether Venables has got it yet.

[stojkovic]

Classic Dunphy.

And he's 100% correct.

[geysir]

Dunphy didn´t draw a breath for about 20 minutes there, first time the RTE ad break was held back for so long.
Souness kept his counsel, there was more than a hint that he would consider putting himself forward for it.

[stojkovic]

Yeah Davids claimed that the WHITE players (Bergkamp, vd Sar, Overmars, the Twins) were picking the team.

Dunphy mentioned this tonight.

He's been reading my posts.

[soccerc]

The Board of Management of the Football Association of Ireland met today.

A report was given on the process to select a new manager for the senior international team and the ten members of the Board unanimously agreed that progress to date is positive.

It was agreed that the process be moved forward by meeting with the proposed members of the panel drawn up to assist with the recruitment. The purpose of this meeting will be to outline the conditions and terms of reference for the new senior international team manager and answer any questions the people involved in the selection process may have.

While the Board considers it preferable to have a new manager in place before the February friendly with Brazil it will be emphasised to the recruitment panel that making the best possible appointment is the priority for Irish football.

[geysir]

Dunphy just about kept the thread of an argument, repeated all the stuff we have been saying but puts himself on a pedestal as if he is the only one special enough to see the spoofer behind the Venables spin and he has the sacred duty to inform the fans.
It takes one to know one.
He repeated a lot of verbatim about Venable´s legal cases.
Here on Footie the focus is on Venables the coach, I dont think we are so bothered by his "criminal" record, Dunphy got too excited about Venables but shut up long enough to listen to Giles saying that the selection process hasn´t even started yet.
Dunphy is paranoid as we all are that the media spin is preparing the minds of the fans for the appointment.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Dunphy mentioned this tonight.

He's been reading my posts.

Dunphy quoted a number of things from the Hell Tell post at the start of this thread regarding Venables record including the pasting Barca took home and away from Dundee and the holiday programme incident with Leeds! Reckon it got mailed to him or else he's been lurking on here!!

He did get a bit tied up with his character but was also able to point out the holes in his record. Souness with 11 trophies compared to 2 for TV says a lot.

[Superhoops]

Venables has eased to 11/8 on Betfair but is still odds-on with Paddy Power at 4/6.

[stojkovic]

He maybe alluding to the fact that Venables is a bit of a spiv.

Now how can we trust his squad selections if he has an ulterior motive regarding that player (and his agent).

We had this with Staunton's relationship with Devlin (who represents Douglas and Alan O'Brien) hence their repeated inclusion in the squad despite not getting their game in the Third Division and its Scottish equivalent.

Mayge Dunphy didnt want to spell it out. We all know El Tel loved a bung.

Met him once at Wembley with his best mate (that agent fella with the big cigars and loud suits and said monster all the time). Whats his fcuking name.

[eekers]

eric hall is that pratt you're talking about "monster"

[stojkovic]

He maybe alluding to the fact that Venables is a bit of a spiv.

Now how can we trust his squad selections if he has an ulterior motive regarding that player (and his agent).

We had this with Staunton's relationship with Devlin (who represents Douglas and Alan O'Brien) hence their repeated inclusion in the squad despite not getting their game in the Third Division and its Scottish equivalent.

Mayge Dunphy didnt want to spell it out. We all know El Tel loved a bung.

Met him once at Wembley with his best mate (that agent fella with the big cigars and loud suits and said monster all the time). Whats his fcuking name.


ERIC HALL.

[Drumcondra 69er]

He maybe alluding to the fact that Venables is a bit of a spiv.

Now how can we trust his squad selections if he has an ulterior motive regarding that player (and his agent).

We had this with Staunton's relationship with Devlin (who represents Douglas and Alan O'Brien) hence their repeated inclusion in the squad despite not getting their game in the Third Division and its Scottish equivalent.

Mayge Dunphy didnt want to spell it out. We all know El Tel loved a bung.

Met him once at Wembley with his best mate (that agent fella with the big cigars and loud suits and said monster all the time). Whats his fcuking name.

???? Douglas was the first name on the teamsheet in the Championship for Leeds last year and has been captain all season this year. Agree about O'Brien though.

[Superhoops]

ERIC HALL.
Monster ;)

[Dalymountrower]

was talking to a Welsh FA official before the match in Cardiff and he was saying they showed Venables the door about a month ago in the middle of negotiations with him to replace Toshack. Venables had twice agreed figures with the Welsh but reneged on them and then came back for a cut of ticket and commercial sales. I know that thistale of spiverry was passed on to Delaney by a third party. Forewarned is forearmed, expect the imminent appointment of Tel and a payoff of £3 mill in two years!

[paul_oshea]

Dunphy is paranoid as we all are that the media spin is preparing the minds of the fans for the appointment.

I pointed this out to fanning in my email. I do believe thats the job of the media at the moment.

Venables was in oneills with that fella once, was wondering who he was, just sipping away on the pints chatting sh1te. One thing I noted was he was awful small, but bar the suit on he really reminded me of a wide boy from romford, with the goldchain and vest. seriously and a constant sly snigger/smile. not that my opinion matters anything might I add, just something I noted!

[eekers]

Terry Venables is a greedy spiv, he will bleed us dry.

see the daily star today boasting about how ireland 'stars' will be able to train in venables soon to be opened 300m training facility in spain.

I wonder how much Venables would be charging the fai for that

[stojkovic]

???? Douglas was the first name on the teamsheet in the Championship for Leeds last year and has been captain all season this year.

He's playing in the Third Division.
Not a man to bring on when you're holding onto a slender lead in Bratislava.

Why wasnt he brought on against the Czechs, Germans, Cypriots or Welsh in the games since?

Devlin got him in the squad. FACT.

Ive nothing against the guy, but he is not international standard. They lost to Cheltenham the other day. Fcuking Cheltenham, well rooster fcuking booster.

[eekers]

Venables Honours:

club:
Second Division championship (Palace, 1979)
the Spanish league title (Barcelona, 1985)
FA Cup (Spurs, 1991)

international:
none

Hodgson Honours:
club:
Swedish League (Halmstads - 76,79, Malmo 86,87,88,89)
Swedish Cup (Malmo 89)
Uefa Cup Runner Up (Inter Milan 97)
Danish League (01)

international:
World Cup Qualified (Switzerland 94)
European Championships Qualified (Switzerland 96)

[Schlooooomp]

Holy ****, I am starting to wonder if the journalists in this country are actually in touch with reality at all. To quote Paul Hyland in the Evening Herald:



"It is difficult to figure out whether Townsend is simply Delaney's way of dressing up the Venables appointment to appease disgruntled Board memebers - a noisy and desperately ill-informed bunch of internet forum junkies and neophyte hacks with plenty of opinions but not much of a handle on the story..."


This forum is made up of ardent Irish fans, any twaddle spouted here is quickly shot down and corrected, opinion is accepted but not what is factually incorrect. It is quite arrogant of Paul Hyland to think that his opinion has a higher merit than the collective opinion of the 100 or so people that have already voted on the Venables as manager poll and the many more that have posted.

Paul Hyland, if you are reading this, we are not "a noisy and desperately ill-informed bunch of internet forum junkies", we are passionate supporters of the Irish football team, we spend our own money to support this team all over Europe and when we are lucky enough, all over the world. Take a look at the thread about how many games people have attended, please do not disrespect us because our opinion does not tally with you own.

We do not want venables, we do not want andy townsend, we want a manager who has been active in the game in the last year or so. Go ahead, shoot down somebody like Roy Hodgson because he didn't qualify Finland for Euro 08, venables has never qualified a team for a tournament, Hodgson has done it twice.

[shakermaker1982]

good to see Dunphy getting some of our feelings out there i.e. on the airwaves. The FAI need to discover that El Tel's appointment would be about as welcome as Big Ron popping round to Marcel Desailly's house for some dinner.

[shakermaker1982]

Paul Hyland - when you've actually paid for a ticket to an Irish game and actually attended an away game (funded by yourself) then I might listen to your opinion. Until then I trust the fans to have 'more of a handle on the story' than some pompous journalist.

[stojkovic]

Never read what Hyland has to say.

He knows nothing, thats why he "writes" for the Herald.

[amaccann]

Anyone know if Dunphy's tirade has found it's way on the internet yet?

[soccerc]

was talking to a Welsh FA official before the match in Cardiff and he was saying they showed Venables the door about a month ago in the middle of negotiations with him to replace Toshack. Venables had twice agreed figures with the Welsh but reneged on them and then came back for a cut of ticket and commercial sales. I know that thistale of spiverry was passed on to Delaney by a third party. Forewarned is forearmed, expect the imminent appointment of Tel and a payoff of £3 mill in two years!


LOL, Best bit of fantasy here yet, mind you it's a good story but belongs in fiction:D

[cavan_fan]

Terry Venables is a greedy spiv, he will bleed us dry. And in terms of coaching, if he was half decent he'd be managing somewhere right now. Like Roy Hodgson. Like Steve Coppell. Like Liam Brady.
I'm not Venables' No.1 fan but Brady is not managing somewhere. He's got some vague role at Arsenal's academy.

[SuperDave]

LOL, Best bit of fantasy here yet, mind you it's a good story but belongs in fiction:D

nearly one hundred anti venners votes now.

[Schlooooomp]

Never read what Hyland has to say.

He knows nothing, thats why he "writes" for the Herald.

The problem is, whether these guys are ill-informed or not, they have a much greater oppurtunity to set the agenda compared to you or I (unless of course you are a journalist). We need to read what the are reporting to try and refute it to some degree. I know that 99% of the people who read the herald will not read this forum but at least it allows me to vent to some degree :(

[Drumcondra 69er]

He's playing in the Third Division.
Not a man to bring on when you're holding onto a slender lead in Bratislava.

Why wasnt he brought on against the Czechs, Germans, Cypriots or Welsh in the games since?

Devlin got him in the squad. FACT.

Ive nothing against the guy, but he is not international standard. They lost to Cheltenham the other day. Fcuking Cheltenham, well rooster fcuking booster.

I don't necessarily disagree with any of that. I was over in Slovakia and thought it was a ****ing ridiculous substitution to make. However, what was said was that he couldn't get a game in the third division yet was in the squad. That is boll0x, he'd had a season at the top end of the championship and in the play-offs and another half a season in the Championship playing regularly when he got into the squad, same level as a number of players in there. That's the fact.

He's also been Leeds' best player this season when, third division or not they've won 13 of 16 games, one defeat against Cheltenham doesn't mean sh1t. He's more deserving of his place then others in there.

[shaneker]

No he isn't. The fact is if he was good enough for a higher division he would be there, its not like Leeds would be in a position to refuse a bid would they?

Championship players we shouldn't be turning away (I notice Clinton scored again today, I was a big critic of his but surely ahead of Murphy, Stokes etc now) but League 1...sorry, we can do better.

[stojkovic]

I don't necessarily disagree with any of that. I was over in Slovakia and thought it was a ****ing ridiculous substitution to make. However, what was said was that he couldn't get a game in the third division yet was in the squad. That is boll0x, he'd had a season at the top end of the championship and in the play-offs and another half a season in the Championship playing regularly when he got into the squad, same level as a number of players in there. That's the fact.

He's also been Leeds' best player this season when, third division or not they've won 13 of 16 games, one defeat against Cheltenham doesn't mean sh1t. He's more deserving of his place then others in there.

Maybe at the time of Bratislava he hadnt played for Leeds in the previous couple weeks (injured maybe i dont know, maybe you know). I accept your point that he is probably their best player but I have friends who are Leeds fans and whilst they recognise he is doing a job for Leeds they dont think he is of international standard.

The Cheltenham thing - I was merely pointing out the quality of the opposition that he plays against.

[stojkovic]

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=1hmv4AifPyM

check this out and send it to Delaney.

Classic stuff from Apres Match.

[Dalymountrower]

LOL, Best bit of fantasy here yet, mind you it's a good story but belongs in fiction:D


Source is the Welsh FA and Delaney was advised of it. If the Welsh FA are spinning thats another matter. It is a matter of fact though that Tel did hold direct negotiations with the Welsh FA recently and they broke down. Whats your source which suggests that this didn`t happen:confused: ??

[Tir Oilean]

Anyone know if Dunphy's tirade has found it's way on the internet yet?

He was brilliant! Pure passion and he had done some serious amount of homework on El Tel too. Gift Grubs sketch a la Only Fools and Horses is fecking hilarious too!

[Drumcondra 69er]

No he isn't. The fact is if he was good enough for a higher division he would be there, its not like Leeds would be in a position to refuse a bid would they?

Championship players we shouldn't be turning away (I notice Clinton scored again today, I was a big critic of his but surely ahead of Murphy, Stokes etc now) but League 1...sorry, we can do better.

Wrong mate, Leeds have turned down bids from Burnley amongst others for Douglas (complex situation regarding where the money would go due to the convulted agreement with creditors over the summer means it's not worth selling him).

All this is beside the point anyway, the fact is that when Douglas got called into the squad he was a first choice Championship midfielder and not a League One reserve as was originally said. Stojkovic may well be right about Devlin's influence but getting the facts so wrong doesn't help his argument.

[Bondvillain]

Never read what Hyland has to say.

He knows nothing, thats why he "writes" for the Herald.



In fairness, people only use the herald for buying second hand kitchen cabinets and 1986 Datsun Sunnys, NOT for their 'insightful' sports commentary, thats why they have never felt the need to pay good money for someone who can actually write, or is interested in sport, and have stuck with Paul Hyland.

[Drumcondra 69er]

Maybe at the time of Bratislava he hadnt played for Leeds in the previous couple weeks (injured maybe i dont know, maybe you know). I accept your point that he is probably their best player but I have friends who are Leeds fans and whilst they recognise he is doing a job for Leeds they dont think he is of international standard.

The Cheltenham thing - I was merely pointing out the quality of the opposition that he plays against.

I tend to agree tbh. Although I'd still have him in the squad as cover for Carsley in case he was to get injured during a game as he's good at breaking the play up and finding a team mate with a simple pass. He certainly shouldn't be starting and playing him alongside Carsley was madness for me, I'd never have them on the pitch at he same time.

[lionelhutz]

Already posted this on another thread but this is all anyone needs to know about Very Terribles,

Hell Tell
CRYSTAL PALACE 1976-80

Promoted from his coaching role at Crystal Palace in 1976, Terence
Frederick Venables took managerial charge from Malcolm Allison and
saw his Eagles soar from Third Division to First in three dizzy
seasons. With success built on Allison's brave youth policy, sages
such as Jeff Powell dubbed Palace the 'Team of the Eighties'.

But Jeff and his mates were too easily pleased, frankly, for
although Palace topped the First Division the following season, the
leaves were not yet off the trees, and by the season's end,
mid-table obscurity was the best Venables could muster. With that, a
younger, leaner, less tikka-tinged El Tel took his sheepskin coat
and burgeoning reputation off to west London, leaving Palace in
disarray.
QPR 1980-84

As Palace slipped back down to the Second, Tel kept himself buoyant
by winning promotion to the First Division (after three seasons) and
taking the Rs to the 1982 FA Cup final (one of the most intensely
irritating of all time; 210 minutes of abject tedium with Glenn
Hoddle emerging as the hero).


Taking a small club up - and to Wembley - put him right up there
with greats of the game like Graham Taylor (although unlike Watford,
QPR never became league runners-up under Tel's tutelage). In fact,
you can't even compare Tel's achievements at this level to those of
Southampton's Lawrie McMenemy, who not only matched Taylor's
achievements but won the Cup as well.


Can't compare to Lawrie McMenemy: now there's a damning phrase if
ever there was one.

BARCELONA 1984-87

Tel's amazing feats in west London caught the attention of Barcelona
president Josep Lluis Nunez, who was in no way looking for a cheap
option to replace Cesar Luis Menotti. On the face of it, Tel did
reasonably well: his team won a weak Spanish league in his first
season, and made the last two of a ****-poor post-Heysel European
Cup field in his second.
But his decision-making was more often than not found wanting. He
chose to sign Steve Archibald ahead of Hugo Sanchez, a man who would
later become a La Liga legend at Real Madrid. He played a patently
unfit Archibald in Barca's abject European Cup final defeat at the
hands of Steaua Bucharest. And he didn't listen to his staff when
they pleaded with him to rebuild his humiliated team around the
sublime skills of Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten, choosing instead
to sign Gary Lineker (poach!) and Mark Hughes (hoof!).

By the end of Tel's reign, Barca were being trashed out of sight
home and away by Dundee United, while Milan's Dutch contingent were
about to swagger all over Europe. A great continental manager
indeed.
TOTTENHAM 1987-91

Let's put aside the 1991 FA Cup. For a start, Forest should have
walked the final; and in any case, Tottenham's whole run was down to
the supernatural feats of one rotund Geordie (and one hell of a
lucky draw).
The rest of it? Well, there's all that faffing around in the world
of business. And boy, could Tel faff. If he wasn't trying to wedge
his chubby legs and feet under the White Hart Lane boardroom table,
he was spending increasing amounts of time looking after his
nightclub investments. And singing bad songs. While being discussed
in depth on Panorama.

It all came to a head when Alan Sugar tired of Tel's meddling and
ousted him - but let's not use that to deflect attention from his
on-the-pitch record. Venables was never able to compensate for the
loss of key players. Gazza, Chris Waddle, Richard Gough and Neil
Ruddock were replaced with sub-standard fare, so Spurs under
Venables drifted aimlessly in mid-table. The excuse was, of course,
that he had no money to spend. One question: isn't this guy supposed
to be England's best coach?
ENGLAND 1994-96

During the first two years of Tel's stewardship, England played some
of the most mind-numbing football of all time. Friendlies against
Denmark, Nigeria, Romania, Norway, Uruguay, Sweden, Colombia,
Bulgaria, Croa... you've slipped into a light coma, haven't you?

England's Euro 96 team was not a good one. The hosts could only
honestly claim to have bettered Holland, a team rife with internal
racial conflict. An unlucky Scotland were only undone by a moment of
genius, as Paul Gascoigne turned up to salvage Tel's reputation once
again; the Swiss and Spanish both deserved to win.

England then played above themselves in their final game before
going out bravely. This makes Tel nothing special; they always do
this. Although interestingly, the only England manager in recent
times NOT to preside over a brave departure from a major
championship is Sven-Goran Eriksson, another man with a reputation
disproportionate to his ... ah, but that's another story.

PORTSMOUTH 1996-97

Brought in as a consultant to revive ailing Portsmouth in August
1996, Venables treated himself to a 51% stake in the club for a
solitary pound and took the chairman's reigns. All the while
attempting to steer Australia to the 1998 World Cup finals in a
part-time managerial role.

After less than a year at the club, having struggled to attract the
investment he hoped for to Fratton Park, El Tel walked away, after a
bitter wrangle, with around £250,000 for his shareholding. He'd
reportedly been holding out for £500,000, with Pompey bottom of the
First Division and losing £150,000 a month.

Before the compromise was reached, Portsmouth's ever-unpopular
former chairman Martin Gregory summed it up best: "The time is right
for Venables to go. He should walk away. I realise I am not the most
popular person in Portsmouth but things were never this bad."

AUSTRALIA 1996-97

Prior to their elimination from the 2002 World Cup, Terry Venables
was responsible for the darkest hour in Australia's football
history. Granted, that's really not saying very much, and from a
Pom's point of view, is really no bad thing either.

But having won their first 12 games with Venables as manager, the
Socceroos ripped through their Oceana group and into a two-leg
play-off with mighty Iran. The Aussies, boasting a team stuffed with
European-based players, looked to be heading to their first World
Cup since 1974, particularly after a 1-1 draw in Tehran. And you'd
have bet your fancy west-end nightspot on them heading to France
when they found themselves two goals up with just 10 minutes of the
decider remaining.

But if you had, you'd be in the market for a new nightspot, as two
late Iran strikes saw them through on away goals. To this very day,
El Tel struggles to explain what went wrong.

CRYSTAL PALACE 1998-99

Never go back, they say, and on this occasion, they were spot on.
Perhaps Venables thought he had unfinished business at Palace. Then
again, call us cynical, but maybe he had another less romantic
incentive for returning. Perhaps it was the £750,000 net contract he
was given, more than Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger were earning at
that time. No wonder Venables crowed: "Palace was my first club as
manager and now I think it could be my last."

But by the time of his first Palace game - an InterToto Cup match
against Samsunspor - El Tel was elsewhere, having taken the evening
off, claiming to be worn out from his television work during the
World Cup. Trouble was clearly brewing, and within six months, after
having voiced concerns that insufficient funds were being made
available (and with a reported clause in his contract, giving him 2%
of every transfer sale), Venables had stepped down to become a
"consultant".

It was only fair that he left with another sizeable pay-off. It's
difficult to imagine a more sorry episode than Venables' Portsmouth
affair, but this was it.

MIDDLESBROUGH 2000-01

With the good ship Middlesbrough heading for the rocks with Bryan
Robson at the wheel, Boro chairman and bankroller Steve Gibson came
over all sweaty at the prospect of slipping out of the Premiership
and losing several million pounds in the process.

Sensing the importance of tactics in the modern game, Gibson asked
Venables to help out alongside Robson, a variation on their England
partnership of the mid-1990s. In truth, it was Venables who called
the shots, and steered Boro to eight wins in 25 matches and clear of
relegation. He became a saviour on Teeside, though in effect, all
he'd really proved was that he was a better manager than Bryan
Robson - a trick even Phil Neal may have pulled off.

Having proved to his doubters that he'd not lost the old magic, Tel
declined a full-time contract at Boro for the comfort of a seat next
to Des Lynam.

LEEDS 2002-03

Took a top 5 squad in to relegation trouble by Christmas playing
Harry Kewell as an out and out striker, Mark Viduka in the hole,
Erik Bakke as a holding midfielder while ignoring David Batty and
driving Ollie Dacourt to Italy. Sold Robbie Keane to make way for
Nick Barmby. Bought Paul Okon.

Just like at Palace three years' earlier, Tel missed his first game
in charge of Leeds. What was the problem? He was filming for the
BBC's Holiday programme. Some things never change.

This is not one bit lopsided. A very unbias piece of work indeed

I couldn't be bothered highligting any more extremely bias and debatable comments

[Rebel11]

Calling him Del Boy on gift grub is an injustice to Del Boy.

I would not leave El Tel wash my car, no mind manage the Country I love.

[Drumcondra 69er]

This is not one bit lopsided. A very unbias piece of work indeed

I couldn't be bothered highligting any more extremely bias and debatable comments

It's supossed to be tounge in cheek.

It does raise some pertinent questions though and is based on fact.

It may be slightly biased but point out anything that's not true in it.

[Stuttgart88]

Has sufficient opposition to Venables been voiced or is he a total shoe-in?

Who is Dunphy advocating now or is he just saying no to Venables?

I haven’t spoken to one person positive about Venables, the most positive remark I’ve heard being that he’d be better than Stan (true I suppose).

Lawrenson gave him backing of sorts in Monday’s Irish Times. I keep hearing “he’s real football man”. There are hundreds who meet that criterion.

[citizenerased]

there seems to be a mass campaign of pro venables propaganda in the media...strange that most football correspondents are pro venables!!, yet the vast majority of the general public are very much ant-venables!

[paul_oshea]

that apres match compilation is class. Venables laughing like a flute. very funny.

[Jerry The Saint]

I haven’t spoken to one person positive about Venables, the most positive remark I’ve heard being that he’d be better than Stan (true I suppose).



Despite the negativity, there's no question he's a better manager than Staunton (would be extremely difficult not to be).

Still interesting that the prospect of Staunton becoming manager last time out had 25% support on here vs. less than 9% support for Venables.

If Townsend is appointed to the selection committee it casts a lot of doubt on the Venables/Townsend dream team being a "done deal" as was said on here. Of course, no one would be shocked if Townsend pulled a Dick Cheney and selected himself but, in the current climate, even Delaney could see that such a move would bring a sh-tstorm of criticism.

[Drumcondra 69er]

there seems to be a mass campaign of pro venables propaganda in the media...strange that most football correspondents are pro venables!!, yet the vast majority of the general public are very much ant-venables!

It's not strange at all. Venables has cultivated relationships with journalists his entire career and that's what's built his reputation. He actually opened a nightclub in London where all teh journalists over there used to hang out and went so far as to call it 'Scribes'. No negativity sticks to him because his pals in the media brush it under the carpet. Look at the way he managed to remove himsellf from the neagativity around England's exit with some choice leaks to favoured journalists over there. Bad journlists such as Paul Hyland and Roy Curtis believe what their contempories in the UK write and swallow the myth. Plus he's very media friendly, always has a quip and a soundbite to fill column inches. That's of far more importance to the bulk of (bad) sports journalists over here then the future of the team or the feelings of the fans.

[lionelhutz]

It's supossed to be tounge in cheek.

It does raise some pertinent questions though and is based on fact.

It may be slightly biased but point out anything that's not true in it.

You said Englands euor 96 team "wasn't a good one". It was an excellent team with the likes of Seaman, Neville, Adams, Southgate, Ince, Shearer, Sherringham all in great form. Fowler couldn't even get a sniff and he was banging in 30 goals a season at the time. I know this doesn't exactly show Venables is a good manager but you said they were a bad team - implying it was his fault.

You also said Scotland were unlucky - besides the penalty miss they were totally outplayed. Go back and watch it again. You said the Swiss and spanish should also have beaten them - again, the Swiss was match just a poor game overall with neither side playing great and although the Spanish kept possession well, they didn't create anything of note.

After that you said England performed above themselves against Germany - which you gave no credit to Venables because "every recent England team goes out on a high besides Eriksson's". Not true - Keegans team in 2000 went out without a whimper and Taylor didn't even qualify in '94.

I'm just citing his England team as an example, as it would be most relevant as it's an international team

[geysir]

They did batter Germany in the SF, first time I ever had sympathy for the Germans and hoped they held out.