As a player, coach and manager, Terry Venables possessed one of the sharpest football brains of his generation. His career reached its peak when he guided England to the semi-finals of the European championships on home ground in the summer of 1996, losing to Germany on penalties. But that was only after beating Scotland with an unforgettable goal from Paul Gascoigne, and trouncing a highly rated Netherlands team with the finest display seen from the national team since the World Cup victory 30 years earlier.
Venables, who has died aged 80, went into those matches already knowing that he would be replaced once the tournament was over, thanks to the dim view taken by some senior members of the Football Association, his employers, of his outside activities.
