August 1977
Revie walks out on England for UAE riches
One year before the World Cup in Argentina, Brazil’s Rivelino was the cover star of World
Soccer’s August 1977 issue, with the midfielder looking forward to his third finals appearance.
The same, however, could not be said of England, who were on the brink of failing to make it to a second successive tournament.
Don Revie had quit as manager before the qualifier at home to Italy, citing family reasons. In truth, he had been negotiating to coach the UAE.
“It’s so easy to condemn Don Revie. Everyone’s done it,” reflected Keir Radnedge. “To walk out on England for socalled ‘family reasons’ was one thing. After three years of pressure you would have thought he could have stood another few months before Italy put an end to England’s World Cup dreams.
“But when it was revealed he was going to feather his nest to the tune of £340,000 tax-free over four years in the United Arab Emirates, that was even worse. It seemed he had sold his soul for filthy, oily lucre.”
Radnedge continued: “Revie went because he was a disastrous failure. He knew it. After his surreptitious trip to Dubai, between spying on Italy in Finland and catching up with England in Argentina, he made an attempt to negotiate a release from his England contract.
“Some cynics would say it all went wrong the day he got the England job. He wanted to build a ‘club atmosphere’ but the carpet bowls and the bingo sessions, which kept his Leeds players happy, didn’t pacify all the men he took into the England fold. And in the latter stages of his England reign he dropped the in-depth dossiers which he prepared for his players on their opponents.
“As a club manager Revie had proved himself. But the call of national team manager needs another approach. Revie didn’t appreciate that until too late. His reign was a series of paradoxes. His teams failed to convince in victory and failed to learn in defeat.”
There was a dearth of talent to take over from the 1966 team. Tony Currie, Alan Hudson, Frank Worthington and Stan Bowles were skilful footballers, but whether they fitted into Revie’s club atmosphere and ethos was open to question.
Radnedge considered that Revie had made up his mind to leave his position when England lost 2-0 to Italy in Rome the previous autumn, commenting: “That was the turning point for Revie. Until Rome most people were prepared to be patient, to give him time.
“After Rome it was clear time was running out. Revie himself was tearing his hair at the way some senior players ignored his instructions.
“His failure was not in running away, not in putting cash before credibility. His failure, remarkable for one of the most ultrarealistic club managers, was to ignore the evidence before him and try to build a castle on the shifting sand of players only mediocre by world standards.”
“As a club manager Revie had proved himself. But the call of national team manager needs another approach. Revie didn’t appreciate that until too late”