Behind Manager's Desk - Terry Venables.

Terry Venables was appointed the 20th manager of Leeds United on Monday 8th July 2002, just 11 days after the shock sacking of David O'Leary. After over a week of intense speculation Venables was the man Leeds Chairman Peter Ridsdale turned to and offered the former England boss a two-year contract. His almost unique enthusiasm for the game since he arrived on schoolboy forms at Chelsea 45 years ago has made him one of the most popular and influential characters in football. Playing glory was followed by 28 years of managerial and coaching ups and downs with the likes of Barcelona, Crystal Palace, QPR and England. His record speaks for itself. As a player he won trophies with Spurs and is still the only man in history to be capped by England at all levels. His other clubs included Chelsea, QPR and Crystal Palace.

In 1974 he was first appointed coach at Palace and then became manager two years later. Dubbed 'the team of the 80s', his young Eagles won promotion to Division Two in 1977 and then followed that up by reaching Division One in 1979. He moved to Queens Park Rangers a year later and guided them to a 1982 FA Cup final and a 1983 UEFA Cup spot before being appointed manager of Spanish giants Barcelona in 1984. It took him just a year to lift the Catalan club to glory as they picked up the La Liga title in 1985 and in 1986 they lost the European Cup final to Steaua Bucharest on penalties. He was presented with the World Manager of the Year award before he returned to England in 1987 with Spurs. A turbulent rein at White Hart Lane saw them win the FA Cup in 1991, but things ended on a sour note as he fell out with chairman Alan Sugar – a dispute which ended in a High Court battle between the two. By public demand he took over the England job in 1994 and in his one and only major tournament saw the his side knocked out on penalties to Germany in the semi-finals of Euro-96.

His short chairmanship at Portsmouth, which he held, was a disaster, before retuning to the world stage as he missed out on the World Cup finals with Australia in 1998. He attempted another comeback with Crystal Palace, but his time in south London was arguably even less successful than his tenure at Fratton Park. Just when it seemed his days as a manager were numbered he re-emerged two season's ago to lead Middlesbrough to safety in the Premiership. He has now taken up the reins at Elland Road with United fans dreaming that he is the man to bring silverware to the club and lead Leeds back into the Champions League. So what KennethPeh.com and all Leeds United fans hope is for the glory days to return to Elland Road.... To Mr. Venables and associates, Good Luck!

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