Soccer

Venables had ‘long illness’ before death and also had playing career ended early

Terry Venables passed away after battling with a "long illness", a statement from his family said.

Tributes have come pouring out for the former England manager who passed away at the age of 80 years old. The likes of Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer, Gary Neville and many more have already spoken out lovingly on their former boss.

Details around the illness Venables had been battling before he passed are unknown to the public, as his family chose to keep his condition and fight private. However, the statement released by his family announcing his death said he had been ill for some time.

READ MORE: How Terry Venables ended Barcelona La Liga title drought and earned iconic nickname

READ MORE: Terry Venables dead at 80 as tributes paid to ex-England manager loved by fans

It read: "We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness. We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives."

As well as managing the Three Lions during Euro 96, Venables was known for his incredibly successful three years in charge of Barcelona. However, while he was brilliant in the dugout, he may have had an even more successful career on the pitch were it not for arthritis.

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Venables' playing career began in 1960 when he came through the ranks at Chelsea. After six years, he moved to Tottenham, where he spent three years before joining Queens Park Rangers. After his spell with QPR, he flittered between Australian side Canterbury-Marrickville and QPR, before joining Crystal Palace.

It was at Selhurst Park where he began to feel the painful effects of arthritis. In his book, 'Born to Manage' he spoke about the "very painful" physical condition he was left in every time he stepped onto the pitch for Palace. He also added that it was this illness which forced him to retire from football.

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However, the end of his time on the pitch, marked the start of his coaching career. His manager at Selhurst Park, Malcolm Allison offered him a coaching role with the club. In 1975, he became the assistant manager to Allison before going on to be handed the managerial position on a full-time basis.

He would hold onto the position for four years, before spending the same amount of time with Queens Park Rangers. His brilliance at Loftus Road prompted admiring glances from the Mediterranean and, before he knew it, Barcelona were asking him to takeover at the Nou Camp.

He would go on to guide Barcelona to a La Liga triumph, the Spanish League Cup and the final of the European Cup over the course of a three year spell between 1984 and 1987. Venables then went on to guide Tottenham to the FA Cup in 1991, before he was named England manager in 1994.

It was there where he won the heart of the nation, taking over a side who failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup and then guiding them to the semi-finals of the European Championship in 1996. Venables then ventured to the other side of the world to manage Australia, before returning to these shores for a second spell as Palace boss in 1998.

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