TRIBUTES have been pouring in from across the sporting world for the Welsh team manager Gary Speed, who has died aged 42. The ex-Leeds United and Newcastle United player was found dead at his home in Cheshire. He is believed to have taken his own life. The news was confirmed in a statement by the Welsh Football Association on Sunday morning; “We extend our sympathies and condolences to the family. We ask that everyone respects the family’s privacy at this very sad time.”
Born on September 8, 1969, Gary Speed became one of the most honest professionals in the game and the tributes over the past 24 hours since the news broke indicate that no bad word could be said about his personality. At club level, he came through the ranks at Leeds United, under the stewardship of Howard Wilkinson. The former FA technical director told Sky Sports; “He had so much to offer as a person and as a sportsman. I just find it unbelievable. I cannot start to try to understand what his family are going through. Gary had a lot of talent and that talent became his job. Footballers are subject to all the stress and strains of things that happen in life.”
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| BREAKTHROUGH: Gary Speed's best club success came at Leeds |
Making his first team debut at just 19 years of age, Speed was part of the squad alongside the likes of Gary McAllister and Eric Cantona to win the final football league title in 1992 before the inception of the FA Premier League. Another member of the squad and a managerial counterpart when Speed was at Sheffield United, Gordon Strachan shared his memories on BBC Radio 5 Live. “I was proud of Gary Speed, like a kind of father figure would be because he wasn’t the most talented of kids when I first met him but he wanted to make himself better. I am going to miss his laugh, he had a childlike laugh. I was speaking to Gary McAllister and I said I would forget the games and the goals but I would never forget his laugh and I am never going to hear that again.”
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| LEADER: Speed celebrates scoring for Everton against Chelsea in January 1998 |
An occasional goalscorer, Gary spearheaded Leeds to two top five finishes in the Premiership between 1992 and 1995, but after 312 appearances for the Yorkshire side, felt he needed a new challenge and made a £3.5million move to Everton in the summer of 1996. An Everton fan, Speed became Toffees captain and made his mark in a mediocre period for the Goodison Park side. He scored his only Premiership hat-trick in a 7-1 battering of Southampton in November 1996 and it was Joe Royle who was Toffees manager when Speed spent 18 months on Merseyside; “He always had a smile on his face, he played with a smile on his face and he was one of the best players I was fortunate enough to manage and handle and I still can’t believe it. He was part of the North Wales Everton supporter’s band and from the minute he came, he was perfect for the club.”
Gary’s next destination was Newcastle United, where he spent the bulk of his career and probably, his best period playing football. He spent six years on Tyneside, experienced UEFA Champions League football and was on the losing side in two successive FA Cup finals. It was Kenny Dalglish who signed him in February 1998 for £5.5million. He paid tribute on the eve of Liverpool’s 1-1 Premiership draw with Manchester City yesterday. “I knew Gary Speed as a fantastic footballer, but more important than that, he was a decent man and there will be a lot of people very saddened by what has happened. The most important people at the moment are his wife and two boys and your heart goes out to them.” Dalglish also confirmed that he withdrew Craig Bellamy from the playing squad yesterday, as he was very close to Speed as a friend and a mentor. At the Liberty Stadium, news broke of the tragic circumstances only an hour before Swansea City’s sombre 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. A minute’s silence turned into a minute’s applause from both sets of supporters. Villa goalkeeper Shay Given was bravely seen to be wiping tears away moments before kick-off. The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper had played together with Speed throughout his time at Newcastle United. Another former Newcastle player paid tribute on Match of the Day 2 last night, Michael Owen. “He was a gentleman and his footballing ability is without question but I would focus on him as a person. Gary probably lived ten miles away from me and the other day I saw him on the way to school on the kids run and we shared a wave as we drove past each other. It’s a terrible loss and the mood of Cheshire was just utter shock and disbelief.”
In 2004, Speed was deemed surplus to requirements by Sir Bobby Robson and he moved onto Bolton Wanderers. During his four years at the Reebok Stadium, Gary became the first player to make 500 Premier League appearances, which is an incredible feat as only David James and Ryan Giggs have played more games in the 20 season history. In January 2008, Speed moved down from the Premiership in a bid to improve the fortunes of Sheffield United. They narrowly missed out on promotion the following season and it was injury that forced Gary to retire from football, aged 40 in 2009. He wasn’t finished at Bramwall Lane though, as he worked on his coaching badges and became Kevin Blackwell’s assistant. In the summer of 2010, the Blades refused him permission to speak to Swansea City about the vacancy at the Liberty Stadium, when Paulo Sousa took the Leicester City job. The current Swans manager is Brendan Rodgers; “We’re all shell-shocked. It was a real bombshell. Gary was a great Welshman and it’s hard to take in. My players loved working with him with Wales and really enjoyed it. It’s difficult to comprehend.”
When Blackwell was sacked at the beginning of the 2010-11 campaign, Gary took over the managerial reigns at Bramwall Lane, but he only won six of his 18 matches in charge as Sheffield United slipped towards eventual relegation from the Championship. Another young manager finding his feet in the Championship is Speed’s former team-mate, Dean Saunders at Doncaster Rovers. He told BBC Sport; “I just can’t believe it. I spoke to him last week. We roomed together all of our careers with Wales, I just can’t get my head around it. He’s so level-headed and was just a really nice fella.”
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| SMILE: Gary was turning around the fortunes of the Wales team |
At international level, his association with Wales began in an international friendly against Costa Rica in May 1990. Aged just 20 when he won his first cap, Speed was made captain of the national team by Bobby Gould and only narrowly missed out on qualifying for both the 1994 World Cup in the USA and the 2004 European Championships in Portugal. He retired from playing international duty in October 2004, having captained his country 44 times and recording 85 caps, which is still the most ever for a Welsh outfield player. Despite his limited experience in management, Gary signed a three year contract to replace John Toshack as coach of Wales in December 2010. Under his stewardship, Wales became a revitalised side. Youngsters such as Gareth Bale, Norwich’s Steve Morison and captain Aaron Ramsay became senior figures in the national team as the Welsh made a 50 place gain in the FIFA world rankings. Although Wales didn’t qualify for Euro 2012, he led the side to impressive victories over Bulgaria, Montenegro and Switzerland to finish third in England’s qualifying group. His last game in charge was a fine 4-1 win over Norway in an international friendly last month, which meant he had recorded five wins in his ten games as manager. There were high hopes for a successful World Cup qualifying campaign which was due to begin next September for Brazil 2014.
Gary’s last public appearance was only on Saturday, when he appeared alongside McAllister on the BBC magazine show, Football Focus. Presenter Dan Walker has been left lost for words, as he posted on Twitter yesterday; “Gary was full of life yesterday talking about his kids, the bright future with Wales, twitter and golf. I can’t get my head around it.” Twitter was full of tributes from many personalities yesterday. Cricketer Dominic Cork met him on A Question of Sport. He tweeted; “Met him on Q.O.S and what a gentleman. Kept in touch and devastated about the news. Just doesn’t seem real.” BBC Five Live Formula One pitlane reporter Natalie Pinkham shared the general feeling on Twitter; “Very sad news about Gary Speed. Thinking of his family at what must be an incredibly tough time.” Real Madrid footballer Xabi Alonso remembered his Premiership debut for Liverpool against Speed’s Bolton in August 2004; “RIP Gary Speed. My first PL game was against him, he showed me in that game what is British football about.”
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| Gary Speed - 8 September 1969 - 27 November 2011 |
Gary Speed made a positive impact on so many lives, both personally and impersonally. He was a great sporting man, with a respectful personality and will go down as a Premier League icon. Potentially, he had a great career as a manager on the way. For me, words can’t describe how I feel about his sudden loss and it is a huge and horrible shock for football to deal with. Gary leaves behind a beautiful wife and two boys who he devoted and spent so much time with. They have revealed how overwhelmed they have been by the support they have received and whilst football mourns a great character, his family are the people we should be feeling for the most.
RIP Gary Speed – The game of football will never forget you!
Sad to see a young life end so abruptly.
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