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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Soccer Memories-Part 16

El Tel-Terry Venables’ Spanish Odyssey

(Note: I would like to once again thank http://www.zani.co.uk/ for uploading this article http://www.zani.co.uk/el-tel-terry-venables-spanish-odyssey )

When Diego Maradona left Barcelona in the summer of 1984, along with compatriot and Manager Cesar Luis Menotti, a League Title for Barcelona seemed out of reach for the coming seasons.
They had not won a League Title since 1974 with Johann Cruyff as a player and high profile Managers such as West Germans Hannes Weisweiler and Udo Latteck as well as Menotti had been unsuccessful despite money being spent year after year on quality players.
Stars such as Austria’s Hans Krankl, Denmark’s Allan Simonsen and West Germany’s Bernd Schuster, in addition to Maradona himself, had all been acquired for this quest but to no avail.
The person chosen to lead the new Barcelona was a surprise. Englishman Terry Venables had only managed one full season in the English Top Division.
The Previous season (1983/84); he had led Queens Park Rangers to UEFA Cup qualification.

Photo From: Soccer Journal 1996
(Terry Venables on the right)

For this upcoming season (1984/85), the core of the playing squad had remained intact.
These included goalkeeper Javier Urruticoechea as well as outfield players such as Jose Alexanco, Gerardo, Migueli, Julio Alberto, Victor, Carrasco, Ramon Caldere and Bend Schuster.

Photo From: Onze , September 1984
(West German midfielder Bend Schuster)

The new foreign player to replace Maradona was Tottenham’s Scottish Forward Steve Archibald.
The two times defending Champions, the Basques of Athletic Bilbao, and Archrivals Real Madrid seemed more equipped to dominate domestically.
However, from the very first Match of the season, Venables’ Barcelona hammered Real Madrid 3 to 0 at Santiago Bernabeu and made everyone take notice.

Photo From: Onze , February 1985
(Barcelona’s Esteban, Archibald, Schuster and Venables, 1984/85)

From then on Barcelona started winning and winning and ran away with the title.
Archibald had fit in well and scored 15 goals.
Barcelona lost only twice in the entire season and garnered 53 points which at the time, tied the record points tally in a season set by Real Madrid in 1980.
The only blemish in that season was the shock elimination in the first Round of the Cup Winners Cup competition by modest French side FC Metz.
Barcelona had won the first leg away at Metz by a score of 4 to 2 and regarded the return leg as mere formality. However, they were heavily defeated at Nou Camp by a score of 1 to 4 and were elimin ated.
Otherwise, this was the perfect season with a deserved League title after an eleven-year drought.

Photo From: Onze , February 1985
(Barcelona’s Scottish striker Steve Archibald, 1984/85)

Bernd Schuster was very complimentary about Venables’ new tactics, saying that with Menotti every ball had to go through Maradona, but now there was  more of a team effort and investment.
A number of Barcelona players, Caldere, Rojo, Clos and Gerardo, earned their first caps for Spain during this exceptional season.

Photo From: Onze , September 1984
(Ramon Caldere, August 21, 1984, Trofeo Joan Gamper, Barcelona 9-Boca Juniors 1)

For the next season (1985/86), Barcelona retained their current established squad and prepared to make a tilt at the Champions Cup.
Real Madrid on the other hand went on a shopping spree after a poor domestic season. Mexican striker Hugo Sanchez and Spanish Internationals Antonio Maceda and Rafael Gordillo were acquired to strengthen Real’s title bid.
These reinforcements helped them to win the League title that season (1985/86) with Barcelona a distant second.
Barcelona had spent most of its energy on the Champions cup and had defeated Porto, Juventus and IFK Gothenburg (on a penalty kick shoot-out) on its way to the Final vs. Romania’s Steaua Bucharest.
Since the Final was being staged in Sevilla, many thought the Title was Barcelona’s for the taking; However, Steaua had other ideas and played for a penalty shoot-out, which they won. Incredibly, Barcelona missed all its four spot kick attempts.
For the following season (1986/87), Terry Venables (dubbed El Tel by the Spanish Media) made the League title his priority and many new signings were made.
Spanish National team goalkeeper Andoni Zubizaretta and International midfielder Roberto arrived from Athletic Bilbao and Valencia respectively.
Manchester United’s Welsh striker Mark Hughes was signed along with England and recent World Cup top goal scorer Gary Lineker from Everton.

Photo From: Onze , December 1986
(Barcelona’s English striker Gary Lineker, 1986/87)

Since foreign player restrictions only authorized two per team, Steve Archibald was registered with Barcelona’s B Team, while West German Bernd Schuster was put on ice. He did not play at all that entire season.
Barcelona struggled as a unit that season, Lineker scored goals as expected, but Hughes did not have the desired impact and struggled.
In Europe, Barcelona reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup, but were surprisingly eliminated by Scottish club Dundee United.
Domestically, Barcelona were neck to neck with Real Madrid for most of the season, but Real broke free towards the end of the season and triumphed again.
By the late stages of the League campaign, Mark Hughes was even demoted and Steve Archibald was re-integrated into the squad in his place.
Venables began the following season (1987/88) with virtually the same squad.
The key difference was the re-inclusion of Bend Schuster into the first team squad.
Gary Lineker also retained his place, but Mark Hughes was eventually loaned to Bayern Munich and Steve Archibald was again registered with the B Team.
While Real Madrid started the season in impressive fashion, Barcelona struggled.
After winning their opening match, they lost their next three matches, with two of these at home vs. Sevilla and Valencia.
Following Barcelona’s defeat on September 26, 1987, at home vs. Valencia Terry Venables was fired.
Luis Aragones was drafted as caretaker Manager until the end of the season with Johann Cruyff lined up to take over for the following season.
Following his dismissal, Tottenham Hotspur hired Terry Venables on November 23, 1987.
He was responsible to bring stars such as Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker to White Hart Lane in the following seasons.
He led Tottenham to an FA Cup win in 1991 and afterwards was appointed as Chief Executive.
After a bitter dispute with Chairman Alan Sugar in 1993, he was dismissed.
He was surprisingly selected to be the England National Team Manager in 1994, a job many felt had passed him by, since he was embroiled in legal disputes for many of his business dealings from the past.
He managed the team until the 1996 Euros, which England were hosting and earned a place in the semi finals.
He was only able to manage for two years, because he felt his many legal cases and court dates prevented him to do his job effectively.
Since then, Venables has led Australia’s National Team, Middlesbrough and Leeds United among others with little success.
In an interview, he stated that his greatest achievement was the Barcelona title, though he also feels great pride in the promotions he achieved with Crystal Palace and QPR.
It was indeed a rare for an English Manager to have done well on the continent for a major club.
It is unfortunate that these achievements are somewhat tainted by the business dealings, that also curtailed his England National Team Managerial career that deserved more than mere two years.

Photo From: Onze , February 1985
(Barcelona squad, 1984/85, January 13, 1985, Barcelona 4-Elche 0, Top, left to right: Javier Urruticoechea, Gerardo, Bernd Schuster, Jose Alexanco, Julio Alberto, Migueli, Bottom, left to right: Steve Archibald, Francisco Clos, Ramon Caldere, Esteban , Rojo)

Thursday, May 9, 2013

New Addition: Eric Batty, Brian Glanville and other World Soccer Columns- Part one

Another  new feature to this blog (due to a suggestion from an interested reader) is collection of articles from World Soccer Magazine from 1960s onwards from excellent writers Eric Batty, Brian Glanville plus others.

Eric Batty and Brian Glanville will be permanent fixtures, however, other articles from Leslie Vernon, Keir Radnedge, Eric Weil , etc. will also be included.

Each Eric Batty section will include his famous yearly World XI section that was ever present until 1992, prior to his passing in 1994.


I.  Eric Batty

WS Magazine Issue: September 1962     
Article Title(s): ‘World’s Number 2 Country?’ and ‘Question: Quo Vadis
Soccer?’
-Two articles from the same issue one dealing with
Czechoslovakia National team who had just finished runners-up in
that year’s World Cup and another one discussing problems facing soccer

WS Magazine Issue: July 1978                     
Article Title(s): ‘No Great Sides…No Surprise’
-Eric Batty’s Analysis of the 1978 World Cup


WS Magazine Issue: December 1960   
Article Title(s): ‘The Eleven Best?’
-The very first World XI selection.





II.   Brian Glanville

WS Magazine Issue: August 1978
Article Title(s): ‘Worst World Cup!’  and ‘World Cup Reflections’
-Two articles in the same issue dealing with analysis of the 1978 World Cup, the second article in from his regulr ‘The Brian Glanville’ Column in the magazine.

WS Magazine Issue: August 1979
Article Title(s): ‘Where do England stand?’ plus ‘The Brian Glanville Column’
-The state of the English national team and his regular column

WS Magazine Issue: May 1979
Article Title(s): ‘Greaves Confesses’  plus ‘The Brian Glanville Column’
                    -An analysis of Jimmy Greaves’ autobiography and his regular
column




III.  Other Writers:

a) Leslie Vernon

WS Magazine Issue: October 1979
Article Title(s): ‘Idealist in charge of our national squad’
-Leslie Vernon interviewing England Manager Ron Greenwood

b) Ken Montgomery

WS Magazine Issue: September 1961
Article Title(s): ‘The Big Exodus
-About Scottish players leaving the Scottish league to join the English
league

b) Kenneth Wolstenholme

WS Magazine Issue: January 1962
Article Title(s): ‘Brazil to retain their World Title?’
-Pre-World Cup Prediction and Analysis


Other Writers’ Columns-Part 1

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

New Addition: Soccer Books, Part one-Italian National team

A new feature that I will be starting on this blog is about books about a certain topic.

My first topic will be about the best books about the History of the Italian National Team.

These are the books I have chosen is:

Book I
‘La Nazionale Italiana’
Published in 1978.
Written Language: Italian

‘La Nazionale Italiana’ Cover


The first part of this book deals with the History of the National team with many archived photographs of players and matches.
The second part deals with every match played from 1910 to the end of 1977.
Full statistical information is given about each match, with dates, both lineups, player’s club information, a brief description of the match, plus a team photo for the majority of the matches.
Three smaller supplements to this book were published, the first covering the 1978 World Cup, the second covering Fall 1978 to June 1980, and the Third covering Fall 1980 to 1982 World Cup.
I am unaware if further supplements were ever published.


‘La Nazionale Italiana’ example



‘La Nazionale Italiana’ example page






Book II
‘Il Libro Azzurro del Calcio Italiano’
Authors: Pericle Pratelli, Pasquale Scardillo
Published in 1974.
Written Language: Italian

‘Il Libro Azzurro del Calcio Italiano’ cover



This book has descriptions of every match played by Italy from 1910 to February 1974.
Full statistical information is given about each match, with dates, Italy’s lineups, players club information, plus a team and match photographs, though not as much as the previous book.
There is also a player profile in each page next to the match descriptions of certain players that marked Italy’s history.


‘Il Libro Azzurro del Calcio Italiano’ example page






Book III
‘Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983’
Published in 1983.
Written Language: Italian


 
Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983’ cover
This book is not a statistical book like the previous two, it is a historical book with many anecdotes and archived photographs as well as illustrations.
It covers stories and the history of the national team from 1910 until the 1982 World Cup.

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983’ example page
 
Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983’ example page


Book IV
‘Il Libro Azzuro’
Author: Walter Perosino
Published in 1998.
Written Language: Italian

Il Libro Azzuro’ Cover



This book is the ultimate statistical book about the national team.
Every detail is covered, such as youngest to oldest players, penalties scored (or missed), etc.
There is also description with full national team appearance information on every player who has played for Italy.

‘Il Libro Azzuro’ example page


‘Il Libro Azzuro’ example page









If any one knows of other books pertaining to this topic, please do not hesitate to leave a post.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Articles on Teams and Events-Part 22

Two articles dealing with scandals with Italian teams, one dealing with Bologna in 1964 that nearly cost them the League title and another dealing with Internazionale Milano in 1981 concerning youth players
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, June 1964 / English) 
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, April 1981 / English) 


Photo From: Calcio 2000, April 1999
(Bologna squad 1963/64)



Two articles about West german goalkeeper Harald Schumacher, one dealing with the controversy surrounding his autobiography in 1987, the other about his coming out of retirement to join Bayern Munich in Fall 1991 plus two Interviews and Three profiles
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, April 1987 / English) 
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, December 1991 / English) 
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, August 1980 / English) 
(Magazine / Language : Fussball Magazin, March April 1982 / German) 
(Magazine / Language : Voetbal International, August 23-28, 1982 / Dutch) 
(Magazine / Language : Onze, March 1983 / French) 
 (Magazine / Language : Onze-Mondial, February 1992 / French) 



Photo From: Sport Illustrierte, July 5, 1982
(Harald Schuamcher, July 2, 1982, World Cup, Spain 1-West Germany 2)


An article with Parma defender Lorenzo Minotti talking about Parma’s success during their initial Serie A season of 1990-91
(Magazine / Language : Guerin Sportivo, June 5-11, 1991 / Italian) 

Lorenzo Minotti and Parma 1991
Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, January 30-February 5, 1991
(Sweden’s Tomas Brolin, one of the first international stars to join Parma in 1990)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, January 30-February 5, 1991
(Nevio Scala, the architect of Parma’s success)

Monday, May 6, 2013

Player Profiles-Part 22

A profile and an interview with Spain and Real Madrid’s Michel
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, March 1988 / English) 
(Magazine / Language : Onze-Mondial, March 1990 / French) 

Photo from: Onze, January 1987
(Michel, November 12, 1986, EC Qualifier, Spain 1-Romania 0)




A profile and an interview with Algeria’s Lakhdar Belloumi
(Magazine / Language : Mondial, February 1982 / French) 
(Magazine / Language : Mondial, July 1982 / French) 


Photo from: Onze, February 1988
(Lakhdar Belloumi and Ramon Caldere, June 12, 1986, World cup, Spain 3-Algeria 0)



Two Profiles on West German sgoalkeeper Eike Immel
(Magazine / Language : Fussball magazin, August 1986 /German) 
(Magazine / Language : Fussball magazin, December 1988 /German) 


Photo from: Fussball magazin, August 1986
(Stuttgart Goalkeeper Eike Immel on the cover of Fussball Magazin)



Eike Immel Profiles

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Interviews-Part 25

Two interviews with West German International Paul Breitner, plaus an article about him joining Eintracht Braunschweig in 1977
(Magazine / Language : World Soccer, December 1975 / English)  
(Magazine / Language : Fussball Magazin, September October, 1977 / German) 
(Magazine / Language : Fussball Magazin, February March, 1978 / German) 


Photo From : Onze, June 1976
(Paul Breitner, June 18, 1974, World Cup, West germany 3-Australia 0)

Two interviews with Belgium and Anderlecht striker Alex Czerniatisnki
(Magazine / Language : Mondial, February 1983 / French)  
(Magazine / Language : Foot Magazine, November 1984 / French)  

Photo From : Foot Magazine, November 1984
(Alex Czernistianski with Anderlecht)


An interview with Italian midfielder Fernando de Napoli, when he was still an Avellino player
(Magazine / Language : Guerin Sportivo, March 13-19, 1985 / Italian) 

Photo From: Mondial, July 1987
(Fernando de Napoli, June 3, 1987, EC Qualifier, Sweden 1-Italy 0)


Fernando de Napoli Interview

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Memorable European Confrontations, Part 9-1985-Bayern Munich vs. AS Roma



Memorable European Confrontations, Part 9-1985-Bayern Munich vs. AS Roma



Bayern Munich and AS Roma were paired in the Quarter Finals of the Cup Winners Cup in March of 1985.
The Italians were going through a difficult season after having won the Serie A title in 1983 and losing the previous season Champions Cup Final to Liverpool.
Their successful manager, Nils Liedholm, had departed in the offseason to his previous club AC Milan and taken with him AS Roma’s captain Agostino di Bartolomei. AS Roma was now managed by the Swedish Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Their only noteworthy acquisition had been the return from Verona of striker Maurizio Iorio and midfielder Ruben Buriani from Cesena.
AS Roma was hampered by the long-term injury to inspirational Brazilian midfielder Paolo-Roberto Falcao, who virtually missed the entire season.
The side still contained veterans such as Brazilian Toninho Cerezo, Bruno Conti, Roberto Pruzzo and Francesco Graziani.

Bayern Munich, managed by Udo Latteck, had in the off-season lost Captain Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to Italy’s Internazionale Milano.
Many predicted an uneasy season as a result, but Bayern had made many key purchases.
Its key acquisition was Borussia Moenchengladbach’s midfielder Lothar Matthaus.
Others included Koln’s Holger Willmer, future International defender Norbert Eder from Nuremberg, striker Roland Wohlfarth from Duisburg and Ludwig Kogl from neighbors 1860 Munich.
The new captain was veteran Klaus Aughentaler and the side still retained Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, defender Hans Pflugler and Norbert Nachtweith, Danish midfielder Soren Lerby, who was improving after a difficult first season, and veteran striker Dieter Hoeness.

The first leg, on March 6, was played in Munich’s Olympiastadion.
AS Roma were missing Bruno Conti who was suspended, while Manager Eriksson was in the stands since he did not have the proper License to manage teams in Italy.
Not to mention Falcao who was in his native Brazil recuperating from his injury.

(Bayern players prior to kick-off)

Roma played with five midfielders with only Pruzzo up front.
Pruzzo skippered Roma in Conti’s absence.
As a result World Cup winner Francesco Graziani did not start.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 13-19, 1985
(Bayern’s Dieter Hoeness)

Just before halftime Bayern’s Klaus Aughentaler scored one of his trademark long distance shots from 30 meters.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 13-19, 1985
(Bayern’s First goal by Aughentaler)

Despite this setback Roma continued to generally play well, though incapable of finishing the moves.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 13-19, 1985
(Bayern’s Dieter Hoeness dribbling past Tancredi and scoring)

With 13 minutes left a cross from the left reached an unmarked Dieter Hoeness in the box, he dribbled past Tancredi to score.

Photo From: France Football, March 12, 1985
(Giuseppe Giannini, Ludwig Kogl and Sebastiano Nela)

After the match Roma President Dino Viola admitted that the tie was lost and in fact the season was lost.

Photo From: France Football, March 12, 1985
(Reinhold Mathy and Cerezo, with Chiereico looking on)


March 6, 1985
Fußball-Club Bayern München e.V. (West Geramny) 2- Associazione Sportiva Roma (Italy) 0
Cup Winners Cup- Quarter Finals, First Leg   
Venue: München (Munich) - Olympiastadion     
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: George Courtney (England)
Goalscorers: (Bayern München): Klaus Aughentaler 44, Dieter Hoeness 77
 (AS Roma): None
Lineups:
Bayern Munich:
1-Jean-Marie Pfaff (Belgium), 2-Wolfgang Dremmler, 4-Norbert Eder, 5-Klaus Aughentaler, 3-Holger Willmer, 7-Norbert Nachtweith, 10-Reinhold Mathy (15-Ludwig Kogl 74), 8-Lothar Matthaus, 6-Soren Lerby (Denmark), 9-Dieter Hoeness, 11-Ronald Wohlfarth

Coach: Udo Latteck

Team Captain: Klaus Aughentaler
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt Sponsor: Commodore
Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks


AS Roma:
1-Franco Tancredi, 2-Emidio Oddi, 3-Dario Bonetti, 6-Ubaldo Righetti, 5-Sebastiano Nela, 4-Carlo Ancelloti, 7-Odoacre Chierico, 10-Giuseppe Giannini, 8-Toninho Cerezo (Brazil), 11-Antonio Di Carlo (16-Maurizio Iorio 79th), 9-Roberto Pruzzo

Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson (Sweden) / Roberto Clagluna
Booked: Carlo Ancelotti

Team Captain: Roberto Pruzzo
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Kappa
Shirt Sponsor: Barilla
Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts , White Socks
Note: Eriksson did not have the proper License to manage in Italy, therefore licensed coach Roberto Clagluna was present at his side




The second leg, on March 20, was played in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
Bruno Conti was back in for Roma, with Maurizio Iorio starting in attack to assist Pruzzo.
Bayern were missing Wohlfath in attack, with Mathy replacing him.
Also in the side was Hans Pflugler in midfield.
Despite initial early pressure from Roma, Bayern never seemed in danger and were confident of advancing.
Pfaff made two superb saves (one in each half) from Iorio.
In the 33rd minute, Tancredi fouled Reinhold Mathy and Matthaus scored from the spot.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 27-April 2, 1985
(Bayern’s Matthaus scoring from the spot)

Francesco Graziani came on the second half replacing Pruzzo.
Roma were rewarded with their domination with only ten minutes remaining when Nela pulled a consolation goal from a long range shot from outside of the box from the left.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 27-April 2, 1985
(Nela’s tying goal)

However, Bayern immediately scored again through substitute Ludwig Kogl on a breakaway move.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, March 27-April 2, 1985
(Kogl scoring Bayern’s winner)

Roma’s poor season showed just how dependent they were of Falcao who was their organizer.
Roma finished in mid table and did not even qualify for the UEFA cup.
Bayern went to the next round but were defeated by eventual champions Everton.
They did however win the League title and qualify for the Champions Cup.

March 20, 1985
Associazione Sportiva Roma (Italy) 1-Fußball-Club Bayern München e.V. (West Geramny) 2
Cup Winners Cup- Quarter Finals, Second Leg 
Venue: Roma-Lo Stadio Olimpico
Attendance:
Referee: Vojtech Christov (Czechoslovakia)
Goalscorers: (AS Roma): Sebastiano Nela 80
                    (Bayern München): Lothar Matthaus 33pen,  Ludwig Kogl 81
Lineups:
AS Roma:
1-Franco Tancredi, 2-Emidio Oddi, 4-Carlo Ancelotti, 6-Ubalodo Righetti, 3-Dario Bonetti (14-Giuseppe Giannini 86th), 5-Sebastiano Nela, 8-Toninho Cerezo (Brazil), 10-Odoacre Chierico, 7-Bruno Conti, 9-Roberto Pruzzo (16-
Francesco Graziani 46th), 11-Maurizio iorio

Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson (Sweden) / Roberto Clagluna
Booked: Bruno Conti, Emidio Oddi

Other Subs:
12-Astutillo Malgioglio
13-Settimio Lucci
15- Antonio Di Carlo

Team Captain: Bruno Conti
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Kappa
Shirt Sponsor: Barilla
Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, Red Shorts ,  Red Socks


Bayern Munich:
1-Jean-Marie Pfaff (Belgium), 2-Wolfgang Dremmler, 4-Norbert Eder, 5-Klaus Aughentaler, 3-Holger Willmer, 10-Norbert Nachtweith, 7-Hans Pflugler, 8-Lothar Matthaus, 6-Soren Lerby (Denmark), 9-Dieter Hoeness (16-Ludwig Kogl 60th), 11-Reinhold Mathy

Coach: Udo Latteck

Other Subs:
12-Raimond Aumann
13-Bernd Durnberger
14-Bertram Beirlorzer
15-Michael Rummnigge

Team Captain: Klaus Aughentaler
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt Sponsor: Commodore
Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts , White Socks