June /
July 2002 News
This is the latest news
of all the players who appeared in the 1970-71
FKS Publishers Ltd
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Album
28 July
Sir Bobby Robson !
Bobby Robson, the only manager from the
1970-71 World of Soccer Stars album to still be in
football management has been awarded a knighthood in this
year's Birthday Honours list.. This coincides with Sir
Bobby having his own statue at Ipswich Town's ground -
the club he managed from 1969 to 1982 before becoming
manager of England.
During his
13 years at Ipswich Town he won the club both the League
Cup and UEFA Cup, then went on to help England to the
semi final of the World Cup. Only another Ipswich Town
and England manager, Sir Alf Ramsey could claim more success with
either side !
The statue
has been sculptured by Sean Hedges Quinn.
See BBC SPORT Sports Talk Honour
Britain's top sporting stars
BBC SPORT Football Teams Ipswich
Town Ipswich to honour Robson
BBC SPORT Football Teams
Newcastle United Good Knight Bobby
Hollins
Out !
Thanks to
George Clements who emailed me about John Hollins (Chelsea), which promted me to report
that he failed to agree a new contract with Rochdale at
the end of last season, and is thus out of a job at
present.
John had
only been at the club since December 2001, and had helped
the club reach the Division Three Play-offs. However, the
contract was just till the end of the season, and
Rochdale did not agree a long term contract.
BBC SPORT ROCHDALE Hollins leaves Rochdale
27 July
Craig
and Gemmell
One of my
better decisions since having a computer is to sign up
for regular emails from 70-71 Celtic star Jim Craig (Celtic). Everyone is excellent, but so
I don't get into bother from Celtic FC I tend to under
report them. But here's the latest from Jim, and it's
well worth a read...
This week's column
is probably something of an indulgence. You see I
know Tommy Gemmell (Celtic) very well. In fact, there are things I
know about him that he would be very surprised that I
knew? But it does give me the chance to refresh my
memory on some aspects of his career and ask
questions I never posed before.
Take, for instance,
the problem of pre-match nerves. Tam always gave off
this aura of confidence before a game but, deep down,
did he have any little nervous flutters? "Not
usually. Maybe two or three hours before an Old Firm
clash, the jitters were there but the closer it got
to the game, then I felt OK. I was superstitious,
though, I had to come out third in line. Even the
only time I captained Celtic, against Rangers at
Ibrox, I came out third with the ball!"
After 10 fruitful
years at Parkhead, Tommy moved down to Notts Forest,
where he played behind two quite promising laddies.
"Well, at that time, John Robertson played on
the right side of midfield, stroking the ball around.
Martin O'Neill played centre-midfield or up front. He
ran well at defenders and could take care of himself
but we were always shouting at him to pass the ball.
He could be a greedy blighter! Just like at Celtic
Park, I was allowed to come forward whenever I wanted
and got 12 goals mainly through penalties and free
kicks".
After two years
with Forest, Tommy came back up to Scotland and
joined Dundee in July 1973. Within months, he was
involved in another League Cup Final, although on the
day, his loyalties were divided. The game should
never have been played. The surface was covered in
pools of water, the kick-off was at one o'clock and
there were only about 25,000 there. Dundee had some
good players; Celtic was probably over the hill a
bit. Gordon Wallace got the winning goal but just as
referee Bobby Davidson blew the whistle for time up,
a shot by Wee Jimmy was sliding towards the net. The
crowd reaction was something else. Then when I went
up to lift the Cup, I noticed that all the seats
round the box were taken up by the businessmen who
always travelled with Celtic. I was expecting a hard
time but they could not have been more civil".
In a long career,
Tommy had many special moments. His own favourite, it
would be hard to see past Lisbon, for a number of
reasons. Running it close, though, would be the 4-0
Scottish Cup Final win over Rangers in 1969 and also
the 3-2 Scotland win over England at Wembley in
1967".
And moments to
forget? I was ordered off against West Germany in
Hamburg in 1969. Helmut Haller had a whack at me so I
kicked him back and he went down like he'd been shot.
When I came back, Jock Stein never said anything to
me. Three days later, it was the League Cup Final
against St Johnstone at Hampden. As usual, I was
outside talking to pals until half-an-hour before the
kick-off. When I went in, the Boss had already
announced the team and Davie Hay was stripping in my
place. Nobody spoke to me and then, still in complete
silence, Jim Kennedy handed me a ticket for the
stand. I lost some respect for the Boss after that
incident.
The players of
yesteryear, particularly the successful ones like
Tam, are always being asked to compare their time to
that of today's stars, so when I posed that same
question, he was ready for it, "Thanks to modern
training and fitness methods, they may be sharper or
fitter than we were. But there is no way they could
have more dedication or skill. I would also doubt
whether they are better players on an individual or
collective basis. But good luck to them and I would
advise them to get as much money as you can, it's a
short career. I have no problem with players earning
big money if they give 100% effort for it. I just
have no time for the ones who don't give their all
yet still take the money!"
How would a Jock
Stein cope with the game today? "Tactically, he
would have no problem. In fact, he would still be the
master. But he would be less happy dealing with
agents and the monies involved he would find
appalling. He would definitely struggle on that
side".
Like every other
Celtic fan, Tommy is delighted with the resurgence of
the last two years. We all dream, though, of further
European success. Are these wishes likely to be
realised soon, " I would like to think so but
everything in football is now linked to money. We
need some better players to have a long run in the
Champions League but unless we have a good run, we
might not get the money. It's a Catch 22 situation.
With a favourable draw, we could get to the second
round this season".
I closed the
interview with a 'West of Scotland' question. When
Tam signed for the club in 1961, his background would
not have appeared to be, shall we say, a typically
'Celtic' one? "Dead right! I was a Motherwell
fan. We lived about two minutes from the ground and
my dad always lifted me over for the matches. I was
at the Cup Final in 1952, when they beat Dundee 4-0.
Then, when I was playing for Lanarkshire Schoolboys
against Glasgow Schoolboys, my opponent was already
on Celtic's books and I had a really good game
against him. The local scout, Eddie Cradle then
recommended me to Celtic and the rest, as they say,
is history. It must rank as the best decision I made
in my whole life!"
Well, all I can add
to that, Tam-and at this moment I think I can safely
say I speak on behalf of every Celtic fan- is that
Eddie Cradle did a pretty good job as well.
Hail! Hail!
Jim Craig
For this and further
postings see www.celticfc.net
14 July
Venables Returns !
In one of
the biggest shocks of the English football off-season,
Leeds United sacked their manager of the past four years,
David O'Leary. Even those of us who live in Leeds had not
heard a rumour before the news hit the streets from
official sources.
Conspiracy
theories abound, as most of us struggle to accept the
given truth that the reason for the sacking was O'Leary's
failure to win trophies last season.
Perhaps
equally surprising - though more greatly predicted - was
the appointment (on 8 July2002) of erstwhile TV pundit
and former England Coach, 70-71 star, Terry Venables (QPR). Terry's last footballing job
was the helping hand with Middlesbrough in 2000-2001,
when he stepped in to prevent the club's relegation. And
as far as I can tell, that's his only real connection
with this end of the country.
Rarely has
a Leeds manager had an accent so far south of Watford
Gap. Sven-Göran Eriksson's appointment to the post of
England coach really did start a trend of breaking down
every barrier, it seems.
Last
season, had been billed as Leeds United's last big chance
to keep their very expensive squad together by winning a
major trophy. In the event they failed to make any
impression in any competition - even losing to 2nd
Division Cardiff City in the FA Cup. More importantly,
the side finished a disappointing 5th in the Premiership,
which meant a failure to qualify for the Champions
League. Jokes of a car boot sale at Elland Road abounded,
as the pressure grew from the PLC end of the club to
balance the books. Few realised that the first name to go
would be David O'Leary's.
The
appointment of 59 year old, Terry has been questioned by
many, who presume it to be a stop-gap appointment till
Matin O'Neill becomes available from Celtic. Leeds United
have long sought O'Neill, who has so far resolutely
refused to make the move ! But the players are showing
their solidarity and support for Terry's appointment, and
so far only Lee Bowyer and Oliver Dacourt look certain to
leave the club.
Keeping
the World Cup star, Rio Ferdinand away from a move to
Manchester United will be Terry's first big task.
Everyday the story of the ebb and flow of the possible
move is back page headlines. If I was Tezza, though, I'd
take the money ! 35 million has been spoken of, and he
could break an ankle next week ... Anyway, Rio didn't
reply to a letter my 8 year old son sent him, so his name
is mud in our house. (We even bought his video ...).
Where was I ?
So good
luck Terry! It's good to see you back where you should
be, back in a track suit and out on the training ground.
Let's see some silverware at Elland Road, ... and no, I'm
not referring to a Silver Disc for sales of 'England
Crazy'...
See Leeds United Football Club - The Official
Website!!
and BBC SPORT LEEDS UNITED Venables
named Leeds boss
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