It has been suggested that Venables was happy to not rock any boats. Bobby Robson made a point of saying he woild pick 11 black players if they were the right players. There was definitely an expectation from The Suits. Earlier when Graham Taylor was in charge the FA had been more specific about black players:
"Taylor is said to have revealed this during a function at Watford’s ground during the 1999-2000 season when Richie Moran was the guest speaker. Moran, a Birmingham City player in the 1990s who eventually quit the game because of the racial abuse he suffered, recalls in the book: “Graham Taylor came up to me and said: ‘Look, I’m going to tell you something … I’m never going to admit it, I will be sued for libel.’ He said: ‘When I was manager of England I was called in by two members of the FA, who I won’t name …’ I volunteered two names. He said: ‘I’m not prepared to say, but I was told in no uncertain terms not to pick too many black players for the national side."
I thought at the time that Venables seemed to have a rather white squad (and indeed he did nothing to deal with the 'club rivalry' bollocks that was rife, and is now absent in the England set up. Well done Southgate for that). I am not remotely suggesting he was racist, but he was a man of the 70s and I thought he was too eager to not rock boats. His win record isn't all that either...
And he won only two proper trophies as a club manager:
