I missed the post. Quote me next time and I'll see it. It's rather late now, but the book's here and so am I. One last post, then the wooden hill gets climbed. So, FIFA Referee Clive Thomas on
Steve Williams...
...is one of the really exciting players in today's game who may well be a driving force one day behind a revitalised England team. I have watched Steve Williams since his apprenticeship, I know that Lawrie McMenemy has worked on his fiery temperament and, as I write, there are certainly increasing signs of maturity. His position as captain should ensure steady growth.
I have worked on Steve's attitude to discipline for years. You name it, I've done it. I have chatted with him in a restaurant, explaining where he is going wrong on the field; I have spoken to him on the day of a match to give him guidance for the next ninety minutes; at kick-off I have threatened and cajoled him. I wonder sometimes if I am fighting a losing battle though, because I am still not satisfied that he gives one hundred per cent cooperation on the field. There have been times when I have been cautioning him while Lawrie has been trying to defuse the scene from the touchline. Will he ever achieve his potential - and captain the full England side? I know of no other manager, other than Lawrie - apart perhaps from Brian Clough, in view of what he was able to achieve with Kenny Burns - who could harness the talents and break in Steve Williams. He is a great player in prospect... and it will be a great shame if he's not more careful.
People who have no idea who Clive Thomas was [is - he's very much alive.!] will like to know that he refereed the 1976 FA Cup Final. In my opinion, he was one of the best ever refs [hence why I'm bothering with his autobiography], if rather controversial [another reason to read], and his opinions from the mid 1980's of FIFA, UEFA, the FA, the FL, the FAW, and the Ref's body at the time, the AFLRL, are pretty much smack on the nail. He even has a line on the youngish Sepp Blatter, and it's not complimentary either. The previous FIFA President Havelange, he really doesn't think much of.
However, Southampton FC come out of this book rather well, so far as I've read. We probably get as many mentions as any other club. His opinion of Lawrie could not be higher. I was actually surprised, and my opinion of Lawrie is pretty damn high too. He thought him capable of running things at much higher levels, like the FA.
His opinion of Leeds Utd, Don Revie, Billy Bremner and most of the Leeds team couldn't have been lower, frankly. It appears that all that Brian Clough said back then about Leeds Utd was 100% correct. Cloughie he respected hugely, as did I, and believes he should have been England manager, but for a pathetic FA. One surprise - he didn't like England manager Bobby Robson at all. Thought he was two-faced. As for Graham Taylor, he thought he was useless.
As a youngster Thomas was a very promising footballer and signed professional terms with Norwich City only to have a career ending injury early on. It was then that he decided to become a referee.
Are you beginning to warm to him.?
Clive Thomas - By The Book: Out of print, I believe, but available as a good condition used book from ebay UK, Amazon, and a few other places. It's not a bad read at all. Tom might like it although it is about things that happened before he was born. So he might not.
