The Guardian book of football
Contents Chapter one
United, from tragedy to triumph Chapter two
England, and all that Chapter three
Local heroes, Scottish legends Chapter four
Liverpool’s bootroom revolution Chapter five
The magic of Pele and Cruyff Chapter six
Brian Clough, the whole story Chapter seven
Before the Premiership: of cups and characters Chapter eight
Death on the terraces Chapter nine
Maradona and the modern magicians Chapter 10
Wenger and Mourinho: a foreign education Chapter 11
United’s second coming: the Ferguson era
Chapter 12
The Premiership years: for richer, for poorer . . . Chapter 13
England: the hurting years
Results & index
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
Foreword As an England player and manager, Sir Bobby Robson has been steeped in football throughout this book’s years Was it really half a century ago that I heard the abrupt, dreadful newsflash on the radio? “United plane crash. Players feared dead”. Some of the Busby Babes were my friends and work colleagues and they had been decimated in the blinking of an eye. I tried hard to fight the truth, even as I turned on the television set at my home in West Bromwich and saw the Aston Villa manager, Eric Houghton, reading his own solemn tribute. Those gifted, talented, courageous Manchester United players were people I knew, not just famous names I’d read about. Just nine weeks previously I had made my England debut alongside Tommy Taylor, Duncan Edwards and Roger Byrne. We had beaten France 4–0 at Wembley; I’d scored the second and fourth goals, Tommy the first and third. As the shocking news sunk in, painfully, distressingly, I realised my first England match would be their last, even though Duncan fought valiantly for his life until the end. It was only three months later that I found myself on a plane
Sir Bobby maintains that, had Bryan Robson been fit, he could have trumped Sir Alf Ramsey and won two World Cups ...
sitting next to one of the survivors, Bobby Charlton. He hadn’t flown since Munich but we were England team-mates going to the World Cup in Sweden and I willingly took on the role of elder
in today’s game. But Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard would
brother. Poor Bobby was sweating and looking a bit anxious as
have been fine ambassadors for the game in any era as well.
we hit some turbulence while making our final descent into Stockholm Airport.
Remember that, in 1958, players had to cope with a heavy leather ball on mud pitches. Floodlit stadiums were a rarity, too
“You all right, Bob?” I asked gently.
— I remember playing for England at two o’clock on a weekday
“I’ll be OK, just let’s get this bloody thing down safely,” he
afternoon so we would finish before it got dark. Players were on
replied. I didn’t want to imagine what memories might have been
a maximum wage of £20 a week; when Johnny Haynes became
going through his mind.
the first £100-a-week player and employed an agent, Bagenal
Because of people like Bobby Charlton, Manchester United and English football have not only survived the Munich disaster,
Harvey, to get him a contract advertising Brylcreem, it seemed as if it was the most exotic thing on earth.
they have in many ways flourished. I know the football industry
I loved the game then but I love it just as much now. I defy
has changed beyond all recognition and not all of it for the better,
anyone not to feel a surge of excitement when Ronaldo lines up a
but the game itself has spent 50 years improving and is more
free-kick or when Adebayor goes up for a goalscoring header. And
exciting and entertaining now than it’s ever been. The pitches,
I’ve been so lucky to have enjoyed a career in the spotlight. As the
the ball, the stadiums, the training facilities, the medical equip-
England manager going into two World Cups, I knew I held a
ment — all of them better. As a result, players are fitter, stronger
massive responsibility. It would have been daunting had it not
and, yes, more skilful.
been so exciting.
Of course Tom Finney and Johnny Haynes could have played
How did I know about that responsibility? Because I used to 9
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
read the newspapers every day and they made it pretty clear.
if I could!” he thundered. I beat a hasty retreat — but I had the last
Don’t believe people in football when they say they don’t read the
laugh. We won the replay 1–0, Arnie Muhren scoring the winner
papers. They did then and they do now. I looked at them all,
if I remember.
including The Guardian, whose chief football correspondent
The game has given me so much. It’s why I’ve always tried to
David Lacey was a must-read, particularly with his Monday
act with dignity, whatever the pressures from the newspapers.
round-up. Frank Keating was another favourite.
The game is bigger than the prize because, for every winner, there
I am delighted that some of my finest moments are included
has to be a loser. It’s why I clenched my teeth and faced the TV
in this book. How can I forget winning the Uefa Cup with Ipswich
cameras seconds after being knocked out of the World Cup semi-
in 1981? The irony of our victory against Alkmaar was that two of
final on penalties. It wasn’t easy but I had a responsibility.
our best players were Dutch: Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen.
I remember, too, being knocked out of the FA Cup semi-final
Signing Arnold was an example of a manager thinking on his feet.
by West Ham in 1975, after a dubious refereeing decision. The
His wife didn’t want to leave Holland and I was so frightened of
papers might have wanted me to lash out, I don’t know, but all
missing out on the signing that I hired a small plane to fly Arnie
I could say was: “Out of adversity some good may come.”
and his wife over Suffolk, to show them what a lovely part of the
Thankfully I went to Wembley three years later and my Ipswich
world it was. In fact, I didn’t give permission to land until she’d
side beat Arsenal to win the FA Cup.
agreed to live there! The big World Cup games featured in this book against Argentina in 1986 and West Germany in 1990 are bittersweet, of
One headline that made me laugh as well as cry came after my England team was held to a draw by Saudi Arabia. “In the name of Allah, Go!” it screamed. It wasn’t in The Guardian.
course. To go so close to winning the biggest prize in football
If I had more space, I could write down a million more
made me immensely proud, but losing those games was terribly
memories. Thankfully you don’t have to rely on me. Guardian
painful. I still maintain that, if we’d had Bryan Robson fit for 1986
journalists have been publishing their own accounts of memorable
and 1990, I could have trumped Sir Alf Ramsey and won two
matches and personalities, and here is a selection of the best from
World Cups! Bryan was our best player, no doubt about it;
the last 50 years. Enjoy the read and remember, for true football
someone who could stop goals, create goals and score goals. There
fans, the game is always greater than any prize.
is no way Diego Maradona would have scored that wonderful solo goal if Bryan had been on the pitch. Not sure about the Hand of God, though ... It was a shame we didn’t win in 1990 because I remember how excited the country was when Alf won the World Cup in 1966 — and boys like Lineker, Beardsley, Shilton, Gascoigne and Butcher deserved to become icons just like Bobby Moore and the other boys of ’66. If Bryan was the best British player I managed, Brazil’s Ronaldo was the best I ever managed, full stop. I tried to sign Alan Shearer for Barcelona in 1996 but, when he chose Newcastle, I persuaded the Barcelona president to gamble on this untried Brazilian youngster from PSV. He was simply sensational. It is a very rare player who can score a match-winning goal on his own; George Best could and so could Ronaldo. I was privileged to play with greats like Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton and Johnny Haynes and to manage the likes of Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, Romario, Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Alan Shearer. Pitting my wits against Shankly, Paisley, Revie, Clough, Beckenbauer and Sir Alex Ferguson was also an incredible challenge. Cloughie was a one-off, of course. I went to see him in his office after we’d drawn an FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest and he was sitting there in pitch darkness. At first I thought I’d wandered into the broom cupboard by mistake. Then I asked him if he’d consider putting the replay back 24 hours because we both had a couple of players carrying knocks. “Get out, I’d play you tomorrow on f***ing Felixstowe Beach
Sir Bobby Robson February 2008 11
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
Eight Manchester United players were among the 23 people killed when a BEA Elizabethan crashed on take-off in snow at Munich 16
UNITED, FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH
||
Airliner hits house Victor Zorza, Munich
what happened, telephoned this description of the crash to Manchester last night, after going back into the wreckage to do what
Twenty-one of the 44 passengers and crew of the British European
he could in the rescue attempt. As he talked, ambulance men
Airways airliner which crashed yesterday near Munich carrying
were waiting to take him to hospital to be treated for shock.
the Manchester United football team are feared dead. About eight
“It was snowing when we landed at Munich. We went off
others are in hospital, seriously injured. A report from Associated
for refreshments and then back to the aircraft to continue the
Press said the aircraft crashed on to a hut full of oil and petrol.
flight. I was sitting in the front row of seats on the starboard side.
It was the fire from this which did the greatest damage. The plane
When the pilot tried to take off there seemed to be some kind of
itself did not explode.
slight fault with the engines. He stopped. Then he tried a second
Bobby Charlton, one of the members of the Manchester United
take-off. That did not seem satisfactory, so he taxied back to the
team who is in hospital in Munich, described how the crash took
apron to get things checked up. It was on the third take-off that
place. He said the aircraft tried to take off and had even got as
we crashed. I think we were at the end of the runway only a bit
far as the end of the runway but there appeared to be something
above the ground.
wrong and it came back.
“The plane suddenly appeared to be breaking up. It was a roll-
All the passengers got out and went into the waiting-rooms,
ing sensation and all sorts of stuff started coming down on top of
where they waited for some 10 minutes. They were then told that
us. There wasn’t time to think. No one cried out. No one spoke
whatever had been wrong had been put right and they got back
— just a deadly silence for what could only have been seconds.
into the aircraft, which taxied to the runway and made another
I can’t remember whether there was a bang or not. Everything
attempt to get off the ground. But just as it approached the airport
stopped all at once. I was so dazed I just scrambled about. Then I
boundary something went wrong again and it caught the edge of
found a hole in the wreckage and crawled out on hands and knees.
the house with its wing just outside the airport.
“I turned and saw Harry Gregg, the goalkeeper, and he and
The driver of a German car saw the aircraft hit the house, then
myself went back into the wreckage. It looked as though those
go up and down in the air, coming to rest between two houses.
who had been sitting in the forward part of the plane were the
Almost immediately one of the houses, on which part of the tail
lucky ones who got out. The luckiest of all were those in backward
had come to rest, was on fire. Another German eye-witness, a
facing seats. Part of the engines of the airliner had gone forward
lorry driver who happened to be standing at the back of his house
for 450 yards and hit a small house, which burst into flames but
when he heard the crash, ran towards the aircraft straight away:
the fuselage did not catch fire.”
when he got there, there was already a car standing there and a child who had been thrown out of the aircraft, apparently only slightly injured, was being carried to the car to be taken away. An injured member of the crew had also got out and was trying to pull one of the passengers out. The aircraft had broken into two parts. The right wing and the right part of the cockpit were relatively undamaged but the left wing was broken off at the point where the engine had been. People who had been thrown clear, and some who had by now been pulled out, were lying
|| Duncan Edwards conscious
about on the snow. It had been snowing at the time of the crash and it was still snowing in the evening after the rescue operations
Duncan Edwards, one of the three most seriously injured survi-
had been completed.
vors of the Munich air crash, showed a “dramatic improvement”
Mr Peter Howard, a Daily Mail photographer who was stated to
yesterday. Dr Graham Taylor, the British European Airways doctor
be the only journalist aboard the aircraft in a condition to describe
in Munich, said: “Edwards is conscious and talking. He asked for 17
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
Matt Busby, sharing the European Cup with George Best, fulfils the dream that Munich could not shatter. He was shortly knighted 24
UNITED, FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH
||
Busby dream comes true at long last European Cup final
other 21 players put together. Which is saying a lot. Nor the fact
Manchester United 4 Benfica 1
that Benfica’s forward line was that which played for Portugal in
(aet; 1–1 at 90min)
the World Cup two years ago. Speculation was rife as the crowds
Eric Todd, Wembley
closed in from every side.
The football might of Benfica, indeed of Portugal itself, was
those before challenged it seriously. With several hours to go,
brought low by Manchester United at Wembley last night.
United’s followers captured the heights around the stadium and
In the presence of 100,000 frenzied spectators who had paid
slept a perspiring sleep through the hot afternoon.
If the scenes after the match defied adequate description,
heaven knows what prices for admission, United won 4–1
Touts, who would flog tickets for the next world given the
after extra time and, for the first time in the 13 years of the
opportunity, reaped another rich harvest, as did purveyors of
competition, the European Champions’ Cup has come to
unofficial programmes, all unmindful of the terrible warnings of
England. Better still to Lancashire. And, perhaps best of all, to
retribution and eternal damnation carried on sandwich boards.
Manchester United.
The Stretfordenders of Old Trafford, present in their legions, were
As a corollary rather than as a relevant postscript, Manches-
concerned only with the damnation of Benfica. And so it proved,
ter City at present are spreading the gospel in the Americas as
although their heroes made rather harder work of it than they
recently crowned champions of the Football League. If only
need have done.
West Bromwich had been situated in Lancashire instead of in Staffordshire, the County Palatine would have had a memorable
Best flattened
hat-trick.
United had most of the play in the first half but many of their
It was written that more things are wrought by prayer
attacks ended abruptly with the flattening of Best, three times
than this world dreams of, and Manchester United and their
by Cruz — who once trod on Best’s face for an encore — and three
countless admirers will testify to the efficacy of that belief.
times by Humberto, who finally had his name taken. Sadler went
Ever since United removed Real Madrid from the semi-finals,
very close to scoring on two occasions, although he blundered in
football enthusiasts in this country and in remote lands
the 28th minute when, after receiving a perfect pass from Kidd,
beyond the seas have entreated the gods to look favourably on
he shot wide from 10 yards.
Old Trafford, with particular reference to the team and to Matt Busby, its manager.
Benfica, when they were not attending to Best, attacked fitfully, without causing Stepney any anxiety until he made a
No matter that those gods chose to ignore similar sup-
smart save after the deflection by one of six United players when
plications on behalf of Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton
Eusebio took a free-kick. In taking another free-kick, Eusebio
Wanderers, Ipswich Town, Burnley, Liverpool and Everton in
failed narrowly to be the first man so far as I know who has dis-
seasons past. Nor, for that matter, those on behalf of United,
patched the ball over the stands. All eyes, of course, were on
who had fought losing battles in three previous semi-finals —
Eusebio, who produced the best shot of the first half. Stepney
on the road to one of which, in 1966, they thrashed Benfica on
was given no time to move. He could only stand and hope as the
aggregate 8–3.
ball rattled against his crossbar.
This time surely they would not be denied, in spite of the
Early in the second half Aston, playing the game of his young
menace of the incomparable Eusebio, of whom nearly as much
life, tested Henrique with two fine shots. Then, in the 53rd
has been written these past few days as has been allocated to the
minute, it happened — Dunne to Sadler, Sadler a lob of geometri25
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
||
The Hand of God strikes World Cup quarter–final Argentina 2 England 1 David Lacey, Mexico City
one felt that one of the remarkable recoveries was imminent. However, the Argentinians defended competently if not always with composure and nearly scored a third goal when a quick exchange of passes ended with Tapia hitting a post.
The sorcery, not to mention the sauce, of Diego Maradona ended
The renewal of the Falklands conflict on the terraces pro-
England’s World Cup hopes in the Azteca Stadium yesterday.
jected by some of the more fanciful headlines never material-
Two goals from the magician early in the second half broke the
ised. There was a brief outbreak of fisticuffs at the start of the
resistance of Bobby Robson’s defenders, and set Argentina on
second half but generally English and Argentinian fans main-
course for their second semi-final in three tournaments.
tained a more or less peaceful coexistence.
But Maradona could hardly claim he had nothing up his
Before the kick-off each England player received a pennant
sleeve. Television evidence clearly shows that Argentina’s first
from a member of the Argentinian team. Unless they bore the
goal went in off Maradona’s wrist after he had gone up for a
words Malvinas Argentina it was a nice gesture.
high ball with Shilton. At the outset we all knew that each side
Fenwick’s first tackle on Maradona after 10 minutes was less
possessed a world-class player, only one of whom could use
diplomatic and after the Argentinian captain had gone flying
his hands. In this context the name of Maradona did not spring
the England defender was cautioned for the third time in the
immediately to mind.
tournament. The booking seemed harsh at the time but was bal-
Yet the England manager had no doubt what happened. “I saw the ball in the air and Maradona going for it,” said Robson. “Shilton went for it too but Maradona handled the ball into the net. You don’t expect decisions like that at World Cup level.”
anced when the Tunisian referee allowed Fenwick to stay on the field after later catching Maradona in the face with an elbow. It was a long time before either attack achieved anything of similar impact. With the midfield crowded as the teams set
Since this was the consensus of Argentinian opinion after
out to close each other down the game was not unlike your
the West German referee, Rudolf Kreitlein, had sent off Anto-
average First Division fixture. In spite of Fenwick’s early tackle
nio Rattin when they lost to England in the 1966 finals, some
England did not set out to mark Maradona individually. Instead
will argue that justice of a kind was done 20 years later. How
they concentrated on interrupting his lines of communication
extraordinary it is that England and Argentina cannot meet in
with other Argentinians and in this they were successful until
a World Cup without some controversy ensuing.
half-time, although there were signs in the last 10 minutes of
A few minutes later Maradona scored one of the great World
Maradona taking control of the play between the penalty areas.
Cup goals when he left three defenders lying on the ground like
Up to that point he had threatened England only with free-kicks
broken dolls before slipping the ball past Shilton. “A brilliant
near goal and nothing had caused Shilton serious problems.
goal,” said Robson. “I didn’t like it but I had to admire it.”
However, all this had changed before the match was an hour
A late header from Lineker, his sixth in this World Cup,
old. In the 50th minute Maradona ploughed into the heart of
briefly revived English hopes and he was only inches away from
the England defence before laying the ball out to his right.
bringing the scores level. But in the end few could dispute that
Valdano was unable to control properly, which gave Hodge
the winners had given a professional performance and on bal-
the opportunity to flick the ball back over his head and back
ance deserved their place in the last four.
towards Shilton. Maradona immediately challenged the Eng-
After the early traumas of Monterrey England will not be
land goalkeeper and to the naked eye it seemed that he had
too unhappy about going out of the tournament in this fashion
achieved a legal touch in deflecting the ball into the net. Tele-
— beaten controversially after defending solidly and attacking
vision, however, proved otherwise.
boldly whenever they could. They ended the match by revert-
Bobby Robson had always said that Maradona was capable
ing to Robson’s original concept of two wingers after Waddle
of winning a game on his own in five minutes. Maradona must
and Barnes had replaced Reid and Steven. For a moment or two
have heard him for now he collected the ball on the right and
1 30
MARADONA AND THE MODERN MAGICIANS
Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ beats the honest arm of Peter Shilton to the ball and Argentina lead England 1–0 13 1
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
||
Moore’s majesty emblazons England World Cup final
formed a backcloth fit for a performance of Gotterdammerung. In
England 4–2 West Germany (aet; 2-2 at 90min)
the event it was the twilight of the German gods not the English
Eric Todd, Wembley
and, mistakes or no mistakes, the majority of the spectators were content. And those from Germany were proud in defeat.
To the accompaniment of expressions of praise, thanksgiving and, in some cases, undisguised disbelief, England became foot-
Outstanding performer
ball champions of the world by defeating West Germany 4–2 on
If the England defence inclined occasionally towards apprehen-
Saturday at Wembley. This was the first occasion on which Eng-
sion and doubt, it nonetheless included the game’s outstanding
land had won the magnificent Jules Rimet Trophy and the first in
performer, Moore. This is no slight on Banks, who had no peer as
which extra-time had been necessary in a World Cup final since
a goalkeeper in the whole series. Seeler harassed Moore relent-
Italy defeated Czechoslovakia in Rome in 1934.
lessly in the air but the England captain restored the balance on
Let us therefore praise famous men and their forefathers who
the ground. He rallied his men superbly when mental and physi-
taught the world how to play football even though it is not quite
cal strain threatened to exact a heavy toll and never misdirected
the same game nowadays. The flowers seldom come out like the
a pass. It was Moore’s victory as much as England’s.
picture on the packet anyway. The cynics, myself included, have
Ball cannot have worked harder in his life. He and Stiles were
been put to flight. Mr A E Ramsey’s unwavering belief in ultimate
almost twin souls even to the extent of disagreeing with some of
success has been endorsed and, with a few minor reservations,
the referee’s decisions. They played until they were entitled to
I gladly help speed the abdication of convention and salute Eng-
drop but neither of them knows the meaning of the word “sur-
land. What else, to be honest, can anyone do?
render”. They will never will be everyone’s cup of tea, so to say.
Those reservations may be dealt with summarily. England’s tactical plan presumably can be accepted as the basic pattern for
Occasional naughtiness apart, however, they are first-class fighting men and England cannot do without them.
future campaigns. Fair enough. It has justified itself. Whether
West Germany, defeated as they were, gave an exhibition of
Football League sides henceforth will decide to follow suit is their
disciplined teamwork worthy of the occasion and of their tradi-
affair but, so far as England are concerned, Mr Ramsey himself
tions. Indeed, there were periods, particularly midway through
surely must concede that the forward line, or whatever they call
the second half, when they were the superior side. Not often shall
it in the modern idiom, still lacks someone capable of delivering a
we see more accurate heading under pressure nor more precise
“killer” punch — someone like R Charlton on his better days — this
passing under any circumstances. England more than once had to
was not one of them — R Smith or, if I dare mention them, Loft-
thank Banks, Moore and the ubiquitous Ball for relief.
house or Mortensen. There is still time. R Charlton has done more than his fair share and can be excused for feeling rather jaded.
Seeler was afforded little scope to indulge his sorcery but Haller, Held and Overath combined effectively, and Schultz and
In retrospect many people found the final less satisfying than
Schnellinger gave cool, calculated performances which were not
the semi-final between England and Portugal. It was generally
confined to restrictive practices. Method is a dominant trait of
sporting and there was a great deal of endeavour. Yet the Eng-
the German race and on Saturday it was very much in evidence.
land defence looked less secure than its fine record suggested and
England’s success, therefore, was the more to be commended.
good scoring chances were squandered by both teams.
A weak header by Wilson, probably his only serious lapse in
To be fair, however, it was a severe test for the nerves, and
the entire tournament, enabled Haller to put West Germany in
the turf was treacherous after heavy rain. Thunder and lightning
front after 12 minutes. Shortly afterwards Overath fouled Moore
34
ENGL AND, 1966 AND ALL THAT
Bobby Moore, left, captain and true commander, challenges for the ball during England’s 4-2 World Cup final defeat of West Germany 35
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
||
Gazza’s tears, England’s penalty heartache World Cup semi-final England 1 West Germany 1 (aet: West Germany won 4-3 on pens) David Lacey, Turin
of the first half of extra-time and one felt that, had England scored, even the opposition’s noted powers of recovery would have been stretched beyond reasonable limits. England’s run of luck ran out when they deserved it most. The goal from Andreas Brehme with which West Germany
England went out of the World Cup last night just when they
went ahead a minute before the hour was the result of a chance
were ready to take on the world. After proving themselves the
deflection off Parker, and penalty shoot-outs are always a
equals of West Germany, and sometimes their betters, over two
lottery.
hours of absorbing football in Turin, they lost their semi-final
This is the first time that both World Cup semi-finals have
on penalties, which is a sadistically cruel way for any team to
been decided this way and the England manager’s suggestion
be beaten at this stage. Russian roulette should be left to the
that playing on for the first goal would be a more genuine way
Russians.
to settle games seems a reasonable one.
Bobby Robson’s ambition of ending his eight years as man-
Watching Robson’s side it was hard to believe that a simi-
ager by taking England to the final of the World Cup for only the
lar team had performed so wretchedly against the Republic of
second time ended when Chris Waddle lifted the fifth penalty
Ireland and Cameroon. Last night they reproduced the char-
of the shoot-out high over the crossbar.
acter and determination which had marked their more recent
There was no need for the West Germans to complete their
matches but they also played good football, taking the game
quota, for Stuart Pearce had driven England’s previous kick into
to the Germans in the opening stages, defending solidly and
Illgner’s diving body. The Germans took their penalties with
efficiently for long periods, then returning to the attack in
rather more assurance than they had played the match.
extra-time.
Paul Gascoigne, Peter Shilton and the whole of the defence
In the middle period of the game England’s dominant play-
were England’s outstanding players. Gascoigne was cautioned
ers were usually defenders. Because Wright’s gashed eyebrow
after his foul on Berthold, his second yellow card of the tourna-
made regular headers a risk, Robson took the chance of playing
ment, and would have missed the final. As it is he will miss the
Butcher as sweeper while Wright and Walker marked Völler and
third-place match against Italy in Bari on Saturday.
Klinsmann. This might have exposed Butcher’s lack of pace.
Thus the 1990 World Cup final will be a repeat of 1986, with
In fact, the defence operated so well as a unit that the effec-
West Germany meeting Argentina, the holders, in Rome on Sun-
tiveness of the German strikers was severely reduced and lost
day. This time the Germans will be fancied to win although it
more impact when Völler was forced off seven minutes before
would be unwise to write off Argentina, even though they do
half-time with a leg injury after a tackle by Walker.
have four players suspended. One of the biggest ironies of last
With Parker and Pearce curbing the threat of Brehme and
night’s match is that England have shown Diego Maradona and
Berthold on the wings, England always had a broad, confident
his colleagues just how vulnerable the Germans can become
base for their own attacks. In fact they started the match by
under pressure.
setting up a base just outside the West German penalty area,
How England would have loved another chance to grip
forcing three corners in the opening 90 seconds.
the Hand of God and how close they came to achieving what
It was during this period that Gascoigne established a chirpy
a month ago would have seemed an idle fancy, the stuff that
command between the penalty areas that the West Germans
dreams are made on. Poor Waddle: he had hit a post at the end
never really overcame. Germans rarely come across players like
21 6
ENGLAND: THE HURTING YEARS
Paul Gascoigne is overcome as England go out of the World Cup. Twice booked, he would have missed the final anyway 2 17
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
David Beckham collects footballers’ autographs but not referees’. Kim Milton Nielsen brandishes the red 22 2
ENGLAND: THE HURTING YEARS
//
What now for outcast David Beckham? The £m-a-year glory boy put one foot wrong against Argentina and may pay a heavy price. By Richard Williams
returned in defeat on Tuesday. Not much, probably. His fellow professionals would recognise the misfortune inherent in a dismissal for a gesture far less offensive, however stupid, than many which went unpunished in the same game. They would know, though, that in such cases the referee can never be
As it happens, David Beckham collects footballers’ autographs,
blamed for playing it by the book, and the book said Beckham
like any young fan. When he joined the England squad, less
had to go.
than two years ago, Glenn Hoddle’s signature was immediately
The England coach, however, has already infringed one of
added to his collection. A few weeks before the World Cup he
the unwritten rules of the game by suggesting that Beckham’s
successfully cornered Pele.
exit probably cost his side the game. Alex Ferguson, Beckham’s
He also collects shirts. At the end of England’s victory over
manager at Manchester United, would never have allowed
Colombia last week, he dashed over to Carlos Valderrama, the
himself to level such an accusation at one of his own players,
opposition’s captain, and exchanged tops with a man playing
however provoked.
his last match at the end of a legendary international career.
Ferguson, who has guided Beckham through all the stages
Beckham is a hero-worshipper. And the man he worships
of his professional life, from apprentice to superstar, believes
most fervently, the man whose shirt and autograph take pride
that internal criticism should be made behind closed doors. To
of place in his collection, is Eric Cantona, his former Manchester
do otherwise can only give comfort to the enemy, whether that
United team-mate.
be the opposing team or the media. The wisdom of his policy
“Eric was my role model,” he said recently. “He’s the best I’ve ever played with. A great guy. One day I’d like to be as charismatic as him.”
can be judged by the intensity of the storm that broke over Beckham’s head yesterday. At 23 Beckham is the boy with everything. No current male
In one respect, at least, Beckham has now matched Cantona’s
pop singer enjoys the degree of popularity experienced by
standing. His flick of a foot at Diego Simeone in St Etienne on
Beckham and Michael Owen, his 18-year-old England team-
Tuesday night may have lacked the theatrical element of Can-
mate. They are heroes and stars at once, blessed with natural
tona’s kung-fu kick on Matthew Simmons at Selhurst Park in
talent, good looks and pleasant manners, benefiting from the
1994 but it has earned him similar notoriety.
extraordinary increase in the popularity of their sport over the
Although Cantona’s doom was widely forecast, he survived
past decade.
the ordeal once the facts of the case had been examined. Solid
“There are some mornings when I wake up and have to
in his private life, strong in his idiosyncratic philosophy, silently
pinch myself to know that it’s real,” Beckham recently told
contemptuous of his critics, the Frenchman returned from a
Erik Bielderman of L’Equipe, the French sports paper, before
long suspension to win more trophies with the club before slip-
the tournament began. He has a Porsche, a Jaguar coupé and
ping quietly into retirement last year, at the age of 30. Whether
luxurious homes in Manchester, where he plays, and London,
Beckham has the mental resources to cope with a similar public
where he grew up.
crucifixion is another matter. It will probably be some time before one of his England colleagues breaks rank to tell us what, if anything, was said to Beckham in the dressing room after the rest of the team had
He is engaged to be married next year to Victoria Adams, aka Posh Spice, with whom he exchanged rings costing as much as suburban family houses. They appear to enjoy a mutually supportive romance: he 22 3
THE GUARDIAN BOOK OF FOOTBALL
inflatable automatic pilot in Airplane, to take over the team for Wednesday’s qualifier in Finland. When Don Revie quit on England during a World Cup qualifying campaign the FA tried, unsuccessfully, to ban him from football for 10 years. True, Keegan did not conduct covert negotiations with the United Arab Emirates before giving his resignation exclusively to a newspaper, but his defection is scarcely more admirable. If, as he insists, he enjoyed the full support of everybody at the FA from the chairman to the Lancaster Gate cat, then surely he could have given the job one more chance. Keegan’s excuse that the fans who clamoured successfully for his appointment had helped him make up his mind on Saturday by booing him as he left the arena is barely worth consideration. If every England manager had walked out after being jeered at Wembley Alf Ramsey, Ron Greenwood, Bobby Robson,
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England’s sweetest revenge
Graham Taylor and Glenn Hoddle would not have lasted anywhere near as long as they did. According to Adam Crozier, the FA’s chief executive who has limited experience of these things: “It is never easy to say I’m not going to be England coach any more. To walk away from that is a very courageous thing to do.” Yet surely it would have
World Cup qualifier Germany 1 England 5 David Lacey, Munich
been even more courageous to stay put, tough it out and risk the probability of being ditched by the FA if the team also lost
Now all of England is on fire. The pessimism of 11 months
in Helsinki.
ago had already given way to guarded optimism but after the
It is not as if Keegan had a rough ride from the media, who let him down relatively lightly after the debacle of Euro 2000.
extraordinary events here on Saturday night English joy has, for the moment at least, good reason to be unconfined.
He was never vilified in the press as Robson was more than
Beating the Germans at football always did lift the nation’s
once. He was never lampooned as cruelly as Taylor nor hung
hearts. Beating them 5–1 in Germany will have come close to
out to dry like Hoddle. The heat in Keegan’s kitchen barely rose
blowing the nation’s minds. This was ecstasy in spades.
above gas mark one.
For 35 years England have lived on the tale of the day a World
Crozier was nearer the mark, albeit unwittingly, when he
Cup was won against West Germany at Wembley. Shortly before
observed that “I think Kevin Keegan knew he was making the
the countries met in the Olympiastadion here to contest auto-
right decision for Kevin Keegan”. That is surely the point.
matic qualification for the 2002 tournament Geoff Hurst was on
On Saturday Keegan made all the right self-deprecatory
German television recalling his hat-trick.
noises in the interviews. He is a master of the soundbite and it
From now on talk of hat-tricks against Germany will revolve
is a pity that his tactical know-how in handling reporters’ ques-
more around Michael Owen, each of whose goals on Saturday
tions was not matched by an ability to organise the England
certainly crossed the line. Having wrought havoc in the Bayern
team.
Munich defence for Liverpool in the Super Cup in Monaco,
“I just feel that for Kevin Keegan there is nothing more in
Owen returned to Bayern’s home ground to give Muncheners
football I want to do,” he said, a trifle wistfully. Presumably
the full Monte. As gaps in Rudi Völler’s awful defence yawned
this precludes returning to TV as a soccer pundit. Surely he can
he simply tore along the dotted lines.
never sit in judgment on England again having admitted that he did not know enough when he was in charge.
“For me Michael Owen has something very special,” enthused Sven-Goran Eriksson, whose stock as England’s coach is now in the upper stratosphere. “He’s a good footballer and his technique is excellent but he also has two things which are difficult to find in a player: he’s very cold when he gets a chance and he’s very quick. When you have that combination it’s a killer.” David Beckham, groin strain forgotten, commanded an England performance as he had never done before. Equally crucial were the tactically adroit performances of Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes, who denied Germany the midfield mastery they
22 8
ENGLAND: THE HURTING YEARS
The Germans may have wished Munich’s Olympiastadion was less well appointed in its scoreboard 2 29