Nobby Stiles

Norbert " Nobby " Peter Stiles ( born May 18, 1942 in Collyhurst, Manchester, England ) is a former English footballer. He became known as the toothless midfield in the English national football team, the world champion at the 1966 World Cup in their own country.

Sports career

Stiles grew up as a supporter of Manchester United. His abilities were recognized at an international match for the English student selection, when he was 15 years old. Manchester United signed him in the same year for his own youth team.

He was a very unusual footballer in several respects. As an undersized player at a time, rejected it as the clubs talent already due to lack of size, Stiles was also a carrier of dentures after his real teeth were harmed during a game (at times he played before without this replacement, and intimidated by the sight of so many opponents a ). In addition, Stiles was nearsighted and had to wear contact lenses during the game and outside of the field glasses with very thick glasses.

Nevertheless recognized the manager of Manchester United, Matt Busby, the talent of the young ambitious player and Stiles made ​​his debut as full-back in October 1960 against Bolton Wanderers.

The skills in the simple passing game and the ball recovery made ​​for a position change in the controlling midfield and Stiles thus held a position which should now be represented in all the top clubs, but at a time with five offensive players and a restriction of the midfield to early central defender in the half position (so-called half- backs) still represented a rarity. Stiles stayed mostly in the middle of the pitch, and was responsible for the neutralization of the creative elements in the opponent's, which mostly succeeded him. His strength that existed in the ball recovery and backup, technically more players like Bobby Charlton and George Best later opened more opportunities to practice their skills.

This does not rule out that Busby in some cases dispensed with the services of Stiles depending on tactics and Manchester United in 1963 with a 3-1 final victory won the FA Cup against Leicester City, Stiles was not included in the game. He played in the subsequent years, frequent and won the English championship in 1965. During this period he was also the first time called into the England team.

Since England was the host of the 1966 World Cup, coach Alf Ramsey had to complete any qualifying matches, so that he could spend two years trying to make import in friendlies and in the British Home Championship his squad and test. Bobby Charlton was the only set a regular player in the midfield for the World Cup and Ramsey faced the task of putting together a trio of players, should act with the offensive player of Manchester United. In this trio a pure destroyer of the opponent's game should be involved. Stiles played this role on 10 April 1965 at Wembley, when England split with 2:2 of Scotland. In eight of the next nine games, he kept hold this position while scored the only goal in a match against Germany, which was also held at Wembley Stadium. His place in the starting line-up seemed thus to be secured, as Ramsey 's 22 players nominated for the World Cup.

Its 15 international match for England Stiles graduated with a goalless draw against Uruguay and he retained his place as an aggressive player before the four defensive players and ensured that Charlton had enough space and time to develop his game before him. Stiles missed a minute on the field when England after beating Mexico and France survived the group stage and then won in the quarterfinals against a bad foul Argentina.

In the semi final against Portugal Stiles convinced with a good performance as he took the opponent's playmaker and scorer Eusébio in man coverage and largely took from the game. England won the game 2-1, with some supporters of football criticized the designed only to destruction of play. Others, however, congratulated style to this game in which he succeeded with his opponent to win the duel without the use of unfair means. Ramsey commented on a critical question from journalists with incomprehension and counter-questions, although he was aware of the core of the criticism. The result was one of the best opponents of England in this tournament in the game only a few chances to score ( with the exception of the late Elfmetertors ) and England reached the finals.

In the final of the football World Cup, the now 20 international match of style, he had to take in man coverage no opponent and gave a strong performance in the match when England a 2-1 lead against Germany in the final minutes even playful, but then by the hat-trick by Geoff Hurst still won in extra time. Although the use of Stiles did not remain in permanent memory, but this was a positive development because of its task, after the game a scene that should have even decades later, high profile, occurred when he the World Cup trophy Coupe Jules Rimet in one and his false teeth in his other hand held. 30 years later, Frank Skinner and David Baddiel took this moment in the song " Three Lions ", which they had written for the 1996 European Championship, respect.

Stiles was also used in the subsequent four internationals, but when England lost at Wembley against Scotland in 1967 and Stiles showed a weak performance, removed him from the Ramsey team. He won in the same year his second English championship, but this success was soon to be further increased.

Manchester United reached the final of the 1968 European Champions Cup and Stiles was back Eusébio and a strong offensive series of Benfica over. Stiles played well again, but could not Eusébio completely off. When the game was about to end 1:1, escaped the Portuguese world star defensive of Manchester and stood alone before the goalkeeper Alex Stepney, but he could not overcome. Manchester United won the game 4-1 and was the first English club who could win major European club titles.

Stiles was appointed to the England squad for the matches for the European Championship 1968. However, it was only the spare man in midfield for Alan Mullery of the Tottenham Hotspurs. England was eliminated in the semi-final against Yugoslavia and Mullery became the first England international, who received a red card. Stiles was then used in the match for third place against the Soviet Union, but it was obvious that, apart from this lock, Mullery now Ramsey's was the first choice.

Stiles in 1969 and 1970 only to a merely two internationals. He was nominated by Ramsey in the squad for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, but even there it was only a proxy for Mullery and was not used in any game, as England then was eliminated in the quarterfinals and his world championship title thus could not defend. His national team career was then terminated after a total of 28 international caps and one goal. Stiles was there from the world champion team the player with the fewest appearances for England.

After 392 games and 19 goals Manchester United sold in 1971 for 20,000 pounds Stiles to the Middlesbrough FC. Two years later he became player-manager of Preston North End, as Bobby Charlton coached the club full-time. This constellation had only moderate success and was subsequently Stiles 1977-1981 coach of the club.

Stiles joined in 1981, like many other aging and already resigned partly players also, the NASL and was active for the Vancouver Whitecaps. After three more years, he finally came back as an active soccer player.

On September 29, 1985 Stiles became the new manager of West Bromwich Albion. The following February, the club sacked him but again, after the team had come under his leadership only three wins. This coach station was also his last. He later revealed that he suffered from depression during this time and with the situation, to work in the Midlands and commute daily to Manchester, where his family lived, was just too hard to handle.

Between 1989 and 1993, Stiles worked as a youth coach for Manchester United and was responsible for the training of future world class players such as David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers.

In 2000, Stiles was awarded together with four other national comrades of 1966 ( Roger Hunt, George Cohen, Ray Wilson and Alan Ball) for his services to English football with the Order of the British Empire as MBE. The ceremony went ahead doing a media campaign, the surprise was expressing that the contributions of these players had not yet been recognized as one of the greatest successes in English football.

In 2003, Stiles published his autobiography, entitled After The ball spite of its activities and achievements is " Nobby " not become wealthy through football: In 2010, he even had to auction his World Cup medal.

Achievements

  • World Champion: 1966
  • European Cup Winners ' Cup: 1968
  • English Champion: 1965, 1967
  • FA Cup Winners: 1963
  • Community Shield winner: 1965, 1967

Club stations as a football player

  • Manchester United (1960-1971)
  • Middlesbrough FC (1971-1973)
  • Vancouver Whitecaps (1981-1984)

Coach stations

  • Preston North End (1977-1981)
  • West Bromwich Albion (1985-1986)
  • Manchester United (1989-1993) ( youth coach )

Sources and notes

  • National football team (England)
  • Football coach (England)
  • Football World Cup
  • Member of the Order of the British Empire
  • UEFA Champions League winners
  • Person (Manchester United)
  • English
  • Born in 1942
  • Man
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