George Graham (footballer)
George Graham ( born November 30, 1944 in Bargeddie, Lanarkshire, Scotland ) is a former Scottish football player and coach. He is best known for his involvement with the English club Arsenal FC, for whom he was able to celebrate successes as a player in the early 1970s as well as a coach in the late 1980s and the early 1990s.
- 3.2.1 as a player
- 3.2.2 as coach
Playing career
Despite his Scottish origins George Graham played almost exclusively in England. At the age of 17, he joined Aston Villa in 1961, three years for this club in Birmingham was active, but was ultimately only eight missions - one of which is in the final defeat of the club in the League Cup against Birmingham City in 1963.
For a transfer fee in the amount of 5,000 British pounds Chelsea Graham undertook in July 1964., Where he scored 35 goals from now on in 72 championship games and won the 1965 English League Cup. However, it came with then- coach Tommy Docherty to ever larger disputes in which besides Graham also numerous teammates were affected. When Graham and seven other players of the club ignored the curfew imposed on them prior to a test game, the coach spoke of far-reaching disciplinary measures. For £ 75,000 the club Graham let go in the direction of the London rivals Arsenal, which in return a year later - joined Tommy Baldwin from Arsenal to Chelsea - as part of the transfer. Graham began there first at the position of center forward, but was later used something back hanging directly behind the central attacker. In 1971, Graham won at Arsenal his greatest success as an active player, as he won the league and cup double in English. However, as Alan Ball came to Arsenal FC, Graham was forced out of the ordinary formation and eventually resold in December 1972 for 120,000 pounds at Manchester United.
At United Graham spent two years and there was even team captain when the club had to join the second class in the Second Division. The last stages of his club footballer career were the Portsmouth and Crystal Palace. In the summer of 1978, he also played in the United States for California Surf in the NASL.
For the Scottish national Graham came in the period 1971-1973 to a total of 12 matches.
Coaching career
After retiring as an active player Graham moved into coaching business and gained his first experience as Kotrainer at Crystal Palace and Queens Park Rangers. On December 6, 1982 signed him with the FC Millwall, the then third-rate table last of the Third Division as head coach. With Graham still managed to avoid relegation and in 1985 the team even rose to the second-rate Second Division. In response, the club's management of his old club Arsenal decided on May 14, 1986 to deal with Graham in the future as their coach. Arsenal had won at this time since 1979 no significant title more, which should clearly apply under new coach for the better. In the eight-year tenure of coach Graham, the team won two British championships, twice the League Cup, once the FA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup, so that was one of the best teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Graham thereby brought a number of above-average good players - such as David Seaman, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon and Ian Wright - out. The Graham era was in its late phase but also characterized by numerous failures purchases, among which for example, the name Eddie McGoldrick, Glenn Helder and Pål Lydersen be mentioned. The latter player was finally, in addition to especially John Jensen, the reason for Graham's release on 21 February 1995. Graham had illegally accepted black money amounting to 425,000 British pounds in connection with the purchase of two players of the Norwegian players' agents Rene Hauge, which in addition to the dismissal of a one-year lock Grahams sides of the English Football Association FA meant.
Graham returned in September 1996 as manager of Leeds United. Although his team had achieved with only 28 goals fewer hits than all the other clubs in the Premier League, came with the 13th place in the table of secure relegation. Only one year later, the team closed even from fifth place and qualified for the UEFA Cup.
With his move to Tottenham Hotspurs Graham ended tenure in Leeds in October of 1998. With his new club Graham celebrated immediately successful and led the team to a playoff victory against Leicester City to win the League Cup and thus the same major UEFA Cup qualification. Since the services in the championship but in the course of his employment never went beyond a certain mediocrity, Graham was released in March 2001. The specific reason for this was, however, that Graham had fallen out with the new club owner Daniel Levy. Although Graham had the club brought the League Cup the first title of the last eight years, he had never been really popular among a large part of the fan base, given his past when bitter local rivals Arsenal, which had always weakened his position in the club.
After his last engagement in Tottenham Graham has taken no further coaching positions more to the present day. At times, he works as a football expert for the British broadcaster Sky Sports.
Statistical data
Club stations
As a player
- Aston Villa (1961-1964)
- Chelsea FC (1964-1966)
- Arsenal FC (1966-1972)
- Manchester United (1972-1974)
- Portsmouth FC (1974-1976)
- Crystal Palace (1976-1977)
- California Surf (1978 )
As coach
- Millwall FC (1983-1986)
- Arsenal FC (1986-1995)
- Leeds United (1996-1998)
- Tottenham Hotspur (1998-2001)
Achievements
As a player
- Fairs Cup winners: 1970
- English Champion: 1971
- FA Cup winner: 1971
- English League Cup Winners: 1965
As coach
- European Cup Winners Cup Winners: 1994
- English Champion: 1989, 1991
- FA Cup winner: 1993
- English League Cup Winners: 1987, 1993, 1999
- Football League Trophy winners: 1983