Eggman
Well-known member
Maybe of some interest
While they say great players do not necessarily make good managers, I wonder how many of the current England set-up will go on to be top bosses.
No matter how many do, I doubt they will be as unlucky as the England World Cup squad of 1986.
Peter Reid's departure from Leeds this week is another example of the curse of England '86.
Of the 22-man squad who played in the World Cup Finals in Mexico, 14 have tried their hand in management.
Terry Butcher, the Lowestoft defender who was the rock in Town's defence before going on to play for his country and finished up in Scotland playing for Rangers, is now the Motherwell manager and is arguably the most successful.
Especially when you compare him with his former international colleagues who probably make up the worst set of managers this country has ever seen.
The class of '86 is football management's equivalent of Eddie the Eagle - dire, doomed and out of their depth.
Peter Shilton was the goalkeeper of the '86 squad. He lasted barely three years at Plymouth Argyle and all but ruined the club. Now the Pilgrims sit proudly at the top of their league under the able tutelage of former St Johnstone boss Paul Sturrock.
Luggy could stand as mayor in the local elections and would win at a canter. If Shilton returned, he would be found ushered to the local docks wearing a concrete necklace.
Kenny Sansom was feeble as Glenn Roeder's assistant at West Ham and is now a studio commentator.
In little more than a season Mark Hateley pushed Hull City to the brink of non-league football, and made his escape to Ross County, and then a corporate gig at Ibrox.
Chris Waddle's season at Burnley took them to the fringe of relegation. But it was marginally better than Kerry Dixon's career, which was a spiral of awful decline at Doncaster, Letchworth and then to the graveyards of Hitchin Town.
Ray Wilkins hardly adjusted to management either. He was sacked by QPR after a year and then took a call from Fulham. Lightning proved it could strike twice and he was out after a year. He is now No. 2 at Millwall and combines that with television punditry.
Gary Lineker admitted up front he would never be a football boss but does enjoy a senior position on the BBC's football team.
Bryan Robson, who was sacked by Middlesbrough, has tried everywhere to get another job in the game and when it looked as if he had got an international position with Nigeria, it ended before it started as the Government would not underwrite his £8,000-a-week wages.
One of the biggest and most risible failures was John Barnes at Celtic. His brief and ill-advised managerial career came as part of the so-called 'Dream Team' with Kenny Dalglish. Since Celtic showed him his P45, Barnes was last seen as a sharp-suited autocue presenter on Channel 5.
When Barnes meets up with old '86 team-mate Terry Fenwick, it's difficult to work out who is getting the last laugh. Barnes was a very public failure, Fenwick simply sneaked away. He managed Northampton Town then disappeared from sight after a not particularly bright stint at Portsmouth.
Peter Beardsley had an unhappy episode in coaching at Newcastle United's Academy and is also trying his hand at punditry.
Gary Steven wisely decided life after playing was not in football management, probably fearing the worst. He now owns a children's fashion shop in Glasgow, and I sincerely hope his accountants don't read this column. If the curse visits him, it could be an Oxfam shop by Christmas.
A couple of England's '86 squad were threatening to hold down moderately successful jobs in the Premiership. Alas, they were Glenn Hoddle and Reid.
Reid felt the cold breath of the curse earlier this week. After scuppering Sunderland, he took up the poisoned chalice of Leeds and led them to their worst-ever Premiership defeat. The mighty Portsmouth put six past them and Reid was summarily sacked.
Hoddle threatened to be good but blew it as England boss, insulted Britain's disabled population and then turned Tottenham into Swindon Town and is looking to resurrect his career abroad.
Meanwhile, Motherwell sit dizzily in the top half of the table. But when Well went into administration, England's former captain must have looked at his tea leaves and feared the worst.
Ironically, crisis-ridden Motherwell appear to be challenging the curse of '86. Butcher has defied the odds and driven the Fir Park boys to fourth in the SPL.
Back in '86, England's spiritual cards were marked; it would seem that they supped with the devil, while opponents Argentina were caressed by the Hand of God.......
While they say great players do not necessarily make good managers, I wonder how many of the current England set-up will go on to be top bosses.
No matter how many do, I doubt they will be as unlucky as the England World Cup squad of 1986.
Peter Reid's departure from Leeds this week is another example of the curse of England '86.
Of the 22-man squad who played in the World Cup Finals in Mexico, 14 have tried their hand in management.
Terry Butcher, the Lowestoft defender who was the rock in Town's defence before going on to play for his country and finished up in Scotland playing for Rangers, is now the Motherwell manager and is arguably the most successful.
Especially when you compare him with his former international colleagues who probably make up the worst set of managers this country has ever seen.
The class of '86 is football management's equivalent of Eddie the Eagle - dire, doomed and out of their depth.
Peter Shilton was the goalkeeper of the '86 squad. He lasted barely three years at Plymouth Argyle and all but ruined the club. Now the Pilgrims sit proudly at the top of their league under the able tutelage of former St Johnstone boss Paul Sturrock.
Luggy could stand as mayor in the local elections and would win at a canter. If Shilton returned, he would be found ushered to the local docks wearing a concrete necklace.
Kenny Sansom was feeble as Glenn Roeder's assistant at West Ham and is now a studio commentator.
In little more than a season Mark Hateley pushed Hull City to the brink of non-league football, and made his escape to Ross County, and then a corporate gig at Ibrox.
Chris Waddle's season at Burnley took them to the fringe of relegation. But it was marginally better than Kerry Dixon's career, which was a spiral of awful decline at Doncaster, Letchworth and then to the graveyards of Hitchin Town.
Ray Wilkins hardly adjusted to management either. He was sacked by QPR after a year and then took a call from Fulham. Lightning proved it could strike twice and he was out after a year. He is now No. 2 at Millwall and combines that with television punditry.
Gary Lineker admitted up front he would never be a football boss but does enjoy a senior position on the BBC's football team.
Bryan Robson, who was sacked by Middlesbrough, has tried everywhere to get another job in the game and when it looked as if he had got an international position with Nigeria, it ended before it started as the Government would not underwrite his £8,000-a-week wages.
One of the biggest and most risible failures was John Barnes at Celtic. His brief and ill-advised managerial career came as part of the so-called 'Dream Team' with Kenny Dalglish. Since Celtic showed him his P45, Barnes was last seen as a sharp-suited autocue presenter on Channel 5.
When Barnes meets up with old '86 team-mate Terry Fenwick, it's difficult to work out who is getting the last laugh. Barnes was a very public failure, Fenwick simply sneaked away. He managed Northampton Town then disappeared from sight after a not particularly bright stint at Portsmouth.
Peter Beardsley had an unhappy episode in coaching at Newcastle United's Academy and is also trying his hand at punditry.
Gary Steven wisely decided life after playing was not in football management, probably fearing the worst. He now owns a children's fashion shop in Glasgow, and I sincerely hope his accountants don't read this column. If the curse visits him, it could be an Oxfam shop by Christmas.
A couple of England's '86 squad were threatening to hold down moderately successful jobs in the Premiership. Alas, they were Glenn Hoddle and Reid.
Reid felt the cold breath of the curse earlier this week. After scuppering Sunderland, he took up the poisoned chalice of Leeds and led them to their worst-ever Premiership defeat. The mighty Portsmouth put six past them and Reid was summarily sacked.
Hoddle threatened to be good but blew it as England boss, insulted Britain's disabled population and then turned Tottenham into Swindon Town and is looking to resurrect his career abroad.
Meanwhile, Motherwell sit dizzily in the top half of the table. But when Well went into administration, England's former captain must have looked at his tea leaves and feared the worst.
Ironically, crisis-ridden Motherwell appear to be challenging the curse of '86. Butcher has defied the odds and driven the Fir Park boys to fourth in the SPL.
Back in '86, England's spiritual cards were marked; it would seem that they supped with the devil, while opponents Argentina were caressed by the Hand of God.......
