Terry Venables: Former England manager dies aged 80

Published

12 months ago

November 26, 2023

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Former England football manager Terry Venables has died at the age of 80.

His family said he “passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness”.

Venables guided the men’s national team to the semi-finals of the 1996 European Championships, where they were knocked out by Germany 6-5 on penalties at Wembley.

During his managerial career, he also was in charge of clubs including Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers and Barcelona.

In Spain, Venables, often referred to as El Tel, won the domestic title with the Catalan side in the 1984/85 season and then claimed the FA Cup with Tottenham in 1991.

Live updates: ‘RIP boss’ – England footballers lead tributes

In tribute, Spurs held a minute’s applause before Sunday’s fixture at home to Aston Villa and players wore black armbands.

As a player, Venables represented sides including Chelsea, Spurs and QPR and made more than 500 appearances. He also had two England caps.

But he made his real mark as a coach, including for England which he managed between 1994 and 1996.

Former England captain Gary Lineker, who Venables signed for Barcelona from Everton in 1986 and then brought to Tottenham in 1989 after he took the job at White Hart Lane, was among those paying tribute.

“Devastated to hear that Terry Venables has died. The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend.”

Former England striker Alan Shearer, who spearheaded Venables’ Euro 96 side, posted on X: “Extremely sad news the great Terry Venables has passed away. RIP Boss. I owe you so much. You were amazing.”

Gareth Southgate, who missed a penalty for England in the 1996 shootout against Germany and is now the coach of England’s men’s team, described Venables as “tactically excellent” and “capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star”.

“He was open-minded, forward-thinking, enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to flourish and have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history,” said Southgate.

“A brilliant man, who made people feel special, I’m very sad to hear of his passing.”

An England statement on X said: “Having won two senior caps as a player, Terry went onto manage the #ThreeLions between 1994 and 1996 – proudly leading us to the semi-finals of Euro 96.”

A statement issued on behalf of Venables’ family said: “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.”

Sky’s sports correspondent Rob Harris said: “So many, of course, will remember his reign as England manager.

“One of the high points really of English football for the men’s game – Euro 96 and taking England through to the semi-finals and of course just missing out to Germany as so often.

“It was really part of the rebirth of English football after some of the challenges throughout the 70s and 80s in particular, and the whole Football’s Coming Home was really so heavily associated with Terry Venables.”

Venables, who was born in Dagenham in 1943, won La Liga with Barcelona.

Harris said: “An Englishman winning the top trophy in Spanish football was really a notable achievement, as well as reaching the European Cup final with the Catalan club [in 1986].

“So really someone who saw so much across the game, someone with such a distinguished reputation throughout football, not only as a player but also as a manager as well.”

Venables also coached Australia but the team failed to qualify for the World Cup in 1998 after losing in a playoff to Iran.

His final coaching spells were back in England with Palace, Middlesbrough and Leeds. He later was assistant to the then manager of the men’s national side, Steve McClaren, between 2006 and 2007.

UK

NHS league tables and cancelled pay rises for managers among government health reforms

Published

5 hours ago

November 13, 2024

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NHS league tables and cancelled pay rises for managers among government health reforms

NHS league tables revealing failing NHS trusts and cancelled pay rises or dismissal for managers who don’t turn things around are to form part of the government’s plans to improve the health service.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is confirming new measures he hopes will boost failing hospital trusts and encourage successful ones.

The changes form part of the Labour government’s strategy to reduce waiting lists “from 18 months to 18 weeks”.

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Health and the state of the NHS were consistently among the most important issues for voters at this year’s general election – with Labour blaming the Conservatives for “breaking” it.

As health is a devolved area, any reforms proposed in Westminster would only apply to England.

Chief among Mr Streeting’s proposals is a “league table” for NHS trusts.

An announcement from the Department for Health and Social Care said: “NHS England will carry out a no-holds-barred sweeping review of NHS performance across the entire country, with providers to be placed into a league table.

“This will be made public and regularly updated to ensure leaders, policy-makers and patients know which improvements need to be prioritised.”

It also promises to replace “persistently failing managers” – with “turn around teams” being sent in to improve trusts running sizeable deficits or offering poor service to patients.

The government says “senior managers” who fail to make progress will not be eligible for pay rises.

There will be “financial implications” for more senior figures such as chief executives if their trust does not improve.

On the flip-side, those trusts that are deemed to be “high-performing” will get “greater freedom over funding and flexibility”.

Senior leaders at these trusts will also be “rewarded”.

The government says the current system is not incentivising trusts to run a budget surplus, as they cannot benefit from it.

Mr Streeting said: “The budget showed this government prioritises the NHS, providing the investment needed to rebuild the health service.

“Today we are announcing the reforms to make sure every penny of extra investment is well spent and cuts waiting times for patients.

“There’ll be no more turning a blind eye to failure. We will drive the health service to improve, so patients get more out of it for what taxpayers put in.

“Our health service must attract top talent, be far more transparent to the public who pay for it, and run as efficiently as global businesses.

“With the combination of investment and reform, we will turn the NHS around and cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.”

Concerns from health representatives

Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of NHS England, said: “While NHS leaders welcome accountability, it is critical that responsibility comes with the necessary support and development.

“The extensive package of reforms, developed together with government, will empower all leaders working in the NHS and it will give them the tools they need to provide the best possible services for our patients.”

Further plans on how monitoring will be published by the start of the next financial year in April 2025, the government said.

Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation – a body that represents all NHS trusts – said healthcare leaders welcome the “government’s ambition”.

However, he said he was concerned league tables and reducing pay may “strip out” the nuance of what’s going on.

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Mr Taylor said: “NHS staff are doing their very best for patients under very challenging circumstances and we do not want them feeling like they are being named and shamed.

“League tables in themselves do not lead to improvement, trusts struggling with consistent performance issues – some of which reflect contextual issues such as underlying population heath and staff shortages – need to be identified and supported in order to recover.”

UK

Princess of Wales’s annual carol concert to focus on ‘how much we need others in difficult times’

Published

5 hours ago

November 13, 2024

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Princess of Wales's annual carol concert to focus on 'how much we need others in difficult times'

The Princess of Wales will host her Christmas carol concert this year, reflecting on “how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives”.

The service, which has become an annual festive event for Kate, will take place on the 6 December at Westminster Abbey, as part of her return to public duties after finishing her chemotherapy treatment earlier this year.

In September, the princess said her focus is “doing what I can to stay cancer-free”.

Last week, Prince William described how the past year had been “brutal” and probably “the hardest year in my life”, with his father, the King, also receiving cancer treatment.

Both the King and Kate joined other members of the Royal Family for the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday.

Announcing the date of the Together At Christmas carol service, Kensington Palace said: “This year’s service provides a moment to reflect upon the importance of love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives.

“The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the UK who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities.”

It will be the fourth time Kate has staged the carol service, which is supported by her and her husband’s Royal Foundation.

Around 1,600 people will be invited to sing carols and see musical performances by stars including Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter.

Those who have supported others, either on a personal level with friends and family or through their work or volunteering, have been nominated to attend.

The palace added that this year Kate “wanted to celebrate the many people supporting those in need – individuals who have inspired, counselled, comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive”.

The theme takes inspiration from the Christmas story, “which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy”.

Across the UK, 15 Together At Christmas community carol services will also be held, including at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and Blackpool Tower Circus.

The event will be filmed as part of a special programme which will air on ITV and ITVX on Christmas Eve.

UK

£10,000 fine for social media bosses who don’t remove knife adverts proposed

Published

5 hours ago

November 13, 2024

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£10,000 fine for social media bosses who don't remove knife adverts proposed

Fines of £10,000 for social media bosses who don’t remove illegal knife adverts are being considered by the government.

The proposals are part of attempts by Labour to fulfil their promise to halve knife crime levels in the next decade.

The Home Office wants to introduce the measures to stop the “unacceptable use of social media and online marketplaces to market illegal weapons and glorify violence” and ensure content is quickly removed.

Under the plans, police would be empowered to issue warnings to senior officials at online companies and demand specific adverts and content be removed – potentially within two days.

A second notice could then be given if action is not taken – with senior executives “personally liable” for a “significant fine” if nothing is done.

While the exact scale of the financial penalty has not been confirmed, a consultation suggested £10,000 for the worst offenders, according to the PA news agency.

Sir Keir Starmer previously spoke of his desire to make buying knives online harder.

In September, he hosted a meeting of a new anti-knife crime coalition including actor Idris Elba and bereaved families, among others.

Elba told the meeting: “Talk is good, but action is important.”

As well as reducing the sale of knives online, the government also wants to change the law around ninja swords.

Work is currently ongoing to decide a definition of the weapons.

It comes on the back of campaigning by Pooja Kanda, the mother of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda.

Ronan was killed in Wolverhampton by two 17-year-olds in 2022, who used a weapon purchased online under an alias and collected from a Post Office.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said perpetrators “must face the full force of the law” as she announced the “tough new sanctions”, adding: “The epidemic of knife crime that has grown over the last decade is devastating families and communities right across the country.

“That’s why this government has set out an unprecedented mission to halve knife crime over the next decade and today we’re taking determined action to get lethal blades off Britain’s streets.”

Commander Stephen Clayman, who leads the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s work on knife crime and is also heading a review of online sales of the weapons for the Home Office, said: “For far too long, deadly weapons have been far too easily accessible online, with content promoting their use for protection and combat rife on many platforms and seemingly little being done to remove it.

“We welcome the chance to take part in the consultation and explore the most effective means of achieving this, including using the findings of the ongoing online sales review.”