Howard Kendall: A true Blue's love story

Michael Kenrick , 21 November, 0comments | Jump to most recent

Ahead of the Merseyside derby on Saturday, Howard Kendall. the last Everton manager to win the title recalls his Goodison glory days with Tim Rich of The Independent and how his second and third comings turned sour, as described in his new book, Love Affairs and Marriage, which provides Kendall's version of why captain Gary Speed left the club in February 1998.

A couple of interesting snippets from Kendall's book are mentioned. The first says that In Love Affairs and Marriage there is a scene where Kendall hosts a meal in a Chinese restaurant for his players, who have paid for it with their fines. Slaven Bilic leaves early and hands over his credit card to pay his share and the rest use it to buy lashings of Moët & Chandon champagne. Also of interest is Kendall's version of how Gary Speed left Everton for Newcastle early that season and the reasons behind the departure of his captain have not, until now, been properly explained. "Kenny Dalglish [who was then Newcastle manager] had tapped up him and a lad called Andy Griffin from Stoke.

"They both refused to play for their clubs on the same day. Gary Speed failed to turn up for our game at West Ham. Two naughty deals, to be honest. Two players not turning up on the same day? There must have been influence somewhere. I thought that was a terrible way of doing business.

Could you see him...? "Killing himself? No, a lovely lad. He was one of the most level-headed men I ever managed. I remember one evening in Ireland when we talked through everything about the club. He was such obvious management material."

Quotes or other material sourced from The Independent

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