Terry Venables’ Death Reignites Painful Socceroos Memory
Terry Venables’ recent death will remind many Australian sports fans of the infamous night at the MCG between the Socceroos and Iran 26 years ago. When he took over as Australia’s coach, football was suffering, similar to its position in the Australian sporting world today. Venables’ appointment as the coach at Soccer Australia was initiated by David Hill, who was aiming to revitalise the struggling sport. For a £200,000 12 month contract, it was expected that Venables would secure Australia a spot in the 1998 World Cup Finals. However, after the Socceroos failed to qualify, it was a sad day for Australian football, leaving a lasting impact. Terry Venables’ legacy will always be tied to this painful memory for Australian football fans.