Don Revie

At 61 years old, Don Revie has this physical status:

Duncan George Revie OBE (born in 1927 – 26 May 1989) was an England international footballer and boss best known for his time with Leeds United from 1961 to 1974, which preceded his appointment as England boss. He began his career with Leicester City in August 1944 before a £19,000 move to Hull City in November 1949.

He was sold on to Manchester City in October 1951 for £25,000, where he became the main focus of the "Revie Plan" in 1954-55 after innovating the role of England's first deep-lying centre forward.

In 1956, he won the FA Cup after finishing on the losing side in the 1955 final.

In October 1956, Sunderland purchased him for £22,000 before transferring to Leeds United in November 1958 for a £14,000 fee.

He scored 108 goals in 501 league and cup appearances during his 18-year career, as well as winning representative awards for the Football League XI and the England B team. Revie was named player-manager of Leeds United in March 1961, when the club had never before been a major tournament winner.

Leeds became a major player in English football under Revie's leadership, winning the Second Division in 1966, 1969, the FA Charity Shield in 1969, and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968 and 1971.

In addition, Leeds was runner-up in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup five times, twice FA Cup runners-up and runners-up twice.

He accepted the job as England manager in July 1974 but spent three years in the position before deciding to take up the management role with the UAE in highly turbulent circumstances.

He played with Al-Nasr and Al-Ahly in Middle Eastern club football. During his time as Leeds' manager, he was chastised for his teams' physical and often hostile approach, but the time was also known for the country's intensely physical football.

His departure as England manager fuelled skepticism of him as money-poor, but unproven allegations of bribery and financial corruption also tarnished his image.

He died in 1984 but was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in May 1987, which caused his death two years later.

He is a very popular figure in Leeds, and he has a stand at Elland Road named after him as well as a statue outside the park.

Personal life

On October 17th, Revie married Elsie, the niece of Leicester City's Scottish manager Johnny Duncan, on October 17th, 1949. Duncan Duncan and Kim were their son Duncan and daughter Kim. Elsie died of cancer on March 28, 2005 at the age of 77.

In 1955, he published Wanderer's Happy Wanderer, a soccer fanatic. He was named an OBE for his contributions to football. Revie was a special guest on the TV show This Is Your Life in April 1974, a few months before relocating from Leeds for the England job. Revie, a freemason who attended Leodiensis Lodge No. 1, was an active member of the Leodiensis Lodge No. 6. The number of people who died from 1965 to his death has declined by 4029 from 1965 to 1989.

Revie, who had been living in Surrey for two years, moved to Kinross, Scotland, where he intended to retire, but he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in May 1987. Revie revealed his illness in August of this year and made his last public appearance at Elland Road in a wheelchair on May 11, 1988, at a charity football match held to raise funds for research into motor neurone disease research. He died in his sleep in Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh, aged 61, and was cremated four days later at Warriston Crematorium in Edinburgh. Despite the fact that many people interested in football, including Kevin Keegan, Brian Moore, Lawrie McMenemy, Denis Law, and Alex Ferguson, did not send any officials to his funeral, the Football Association did not send any officials to the funeral.

Source

Club career

Revie was born in Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire, on July 10, 1927. During the Great Depression, his father, also known as Donald, was often out of work. When he was 12 years old, his mother, a washerwoman, died of cancer. He played youth football for Newport Boys' Club and then Middlesbrough Swifts, who were coached by influential manager Bill Sanderson. In the tiny yard behind his house, he learned the rudiments of the game by using a tiny bundle of rags. This inspired his thinking in later life, and he suggested that young players learn to play smaller footballs on smaller pitches, so they'd be more accurate in handling when moving to a bigger football.

In August 1944, he signed as a professional footballer for Leicester City, choosing them ahead of local club Middlesbrough Swifts and Leicester City, primarily due to the close links between Middlesbrough Swifts and Leicester City; he also served as an apprentice bricklayer. Leicester initially thought he was not strong enough to be a professional, but he was taken under the care of Leicester player Sep Smith, who mentored Revie on several of his ideas about the game. Smith told Revie, "If you're not in place, get into position; never beat a man by dribbling; not the player on the field, but the one running into position to take the pass, not the one on the ball." Soccer would then be straightforward." He played in the wartime league before making his first appearance in the Football League on the first day of the 1946–47 season, a 3–0 loss to Manchester City who would advance to the Second Division that season. He appeared good form at Filbert Street before breaking his right ankle in three different places during a tackle by Tottenham Hotspur's Ron Burgess; the injury may have ended his career but not before; but he returned to full fitness in 19 weeks.

Despite the fact that the Foxes lost to the 1949 FA Cup Final, manager Johnny Duncan outlined Revie as the one to build his team around the 1947–48 and 1948–49 seasons. Revie converted the first goal of his semi-final victory over Portsmouth after being told pre-match that opposition goalkeeper Ernest Butler began to palm the ball over the attacker's head before reclaiming possession. However, Revie sustained a nasal hemorhagic disease as a result of a burst vein a week earlier this week, and the condition was so severe that it would end his life and prevent him from playing at Wembley. Leicester lost 3-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final, but he couldn't hear it on the radio. Revie decided to leave Leicester after Duncan left the club, having been dissatisfied with the club's lack of progress in the league.

In November 1949, he joined Hull City in the Second Division for a £19,000 transfer fee. He signed the Tigers ahead of bigger clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City, who had expressed an interest in signing him due to the fact that Hull were managed by Raich Carter, who had been a superb player before and after World War II. Carter did improve Revie's game, but Hull's was not a success as Hull's boss, as the city finished mid-table in 1949–50 and 1950–51 before being involved in a relegation war in 1952–52. Revie did not develop his potential at Boothferry Park because he was not a strong player, and the majority of the Hull squad were not strong enough to shield him and force him to dictate play with his precise passing, according to teammate Andy Davidson. Revie, who had been at Leicester, felt the time had come for him to move forward and submit a transfer request as soon as Carter had departed.

In October 1951, Revie was sold to Manchester City, who included a part-exchange for Ernie Phillips. In the 1951–52 season, the Citizens struggled, then went on to finish just one place above the relegation zone in the 1952–53 campaign. Due to his inability, Revie was often isolated from the rest of the team. After Ivor Broadis' departure, Revie was able to fall further down the field, and Revie's manager Les McDowall was able to bring Revie's role as a fundamental centre forward to English football, introducing deep-lying center forwards to English football. This evolved into the so-called "Revie Plan" with Revie as the central figure. His position derived from the more traditional inside out of a good position and was based on the designs of the country's winning national team, with Nándor Hidegkuti, who conceived the role. In his autobiography Soccer's Happi Wanderer, Revie devoted 20 pages to analyzing and describing the scheme.

In the 1953–54 season, Revie had increased his target number to 13 in the 1953–54 season, but only after the Revie initiative was initiated in the 1954–55 campaign did Manchester City truly make the most of his potential. With a 5–0 loss to Preston North End, Ken Barnes replaced John McTavish at inside-forward, and the team clicked. Despite the fact that the tactic was named after Revie, Johnny Williamson had already been deployed at the reserve team level, but Revie's outstanding passing skills ensured Williamson was uninhibited for the position at the first team level. City's league crown campaign ended, but the club went on to win the 1955 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, where they were defeated 3-1 by Newcastle United; a first-half injury to Jimmy Meadows left City down to ten men and unable to compete effectively. Revie was named FWA Footballer of the Year at the end of the season.

McDowall was fined £27 for missing two weeks of preparation for a family holiday in Blackpool, which enraged him because he had already gained permission from trainer Laurie Barnett and had promised to train while on vacation. McDowall retired Revie from the 1955-56 season, opting instead to play Bobby Johnstone. Before being selected in the team for the 1956 FA Cup Final against Birmingham City, Revie played only one FA Cup match that season, with Johnstone being moved to the wings. Joe Hayes' opening goal and urged Ken Barnes to deviate from the manager's instructions at halftime, resulting in a more dominant second half display and a 3–1 victory; Revie was named Man of the Match. However, the split with his boss was not forgotten, and he was moved to the right-half in the 1956-57 campaign, forcing him to seek a move away from Maine Road.

Bill Murray, the Sunderland boss, paid Revie for a £22,000 fee in October 1956. Due to poor results, the Black Cats were relegated to relegation into the end of the 1956-57 season, but a late seven-game unbeaten run lifted them to safety, just one place above relegated Cardiff City. Murray's resignation was prompted by a financial scandal surrounding illegal payments to players, which culminated in severe discipline at Roker Park from The Football Association. Alan Brown, his replacement, preferred a more physical style of play that did not suit Revie. For the first time in the club's history, Sunderland was relegated from the First Division, and Revie was relegated from the 1958–59 Second Division campaign in favour of a youth program. He turned down the opportunity to sign for Middlesbrough's hometown team, although he joined the club then, he may have played alongside captain Brian Clough and goalkeeper Peter Taylor.

Revie returned to the First Division after he joined Leeds United in November 1958 for a £14,000 fee. Bill Lambton, the Peacocks', had hoped that Revie's ingenuity would help the Peacocks recover from their poor start, so he named him as captain. Leeds was saved from relegation in 1958-1959, but new manager Jack Taylor took Leeds down in the 1959-60 campaign with the division's worst defensive record. Revie knew his playing days were coming to an end and recalled the captaincy to Freddie Goodwin.

International career

In October 1953, he was called up to The Football League XI to face League of Ireland XI at Maine Road and scored a hat-trick, winning by 9–1. In March 1954, he began to play for the England B team. In a 2–0 British Home Championship win over Northern Ireland at Windsor Park on October 2, he scored on his debut on his England debut on October 2, 1954. He scored at Wembley Stadium on April 2, 1955, his second appearance in Scotland, a 7–2 victory over Scotland. He made three appearances in the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir and Wales at Ninian Park this year, defeating France and Spain twice and scoring twice in a 5–1 victory over Denmark in Idrtsparken. In a 1–1 draw with Northern Ireland on October 6, 1956, his sixth and final cap came in a 1–1 draw.

He was one of many signatories to The Times on July 17th, 1958, protesting "the policies of apartheid" in international sport and defending "the principle of racial justice, which is embodied in the Olympic Games'.

Management career

Following Jack Taylor's departure, Revie was made player-manager at Leeds United in March 1961, who left Leeds United after Leeds discovered themselves in the Second Division struggling. He had applied for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic's open positions, but Leeds's directors were unable to locate the £6,000 Leeds needed, and Leeds's chiefs decided to appoint Revie as boss instead. At the time, the club was in debt and was located in a rugby league territory with no football tradition. Leeds's last home game of the 1960-61 Rugby League season attracted fewer than 7,000 fans for the final home game of the 1960–61 season, while Leeds' championship game of the 1960–61 Rugby League season attracted over 50,000 viewers. He began immediately implementing radical measures, such as making sure the players stayed in higher quality hotels. At Elland Road, he instilled a "family atmosphere," making it clear that everyone involved in the club's life, from the washing staff to the stars, and that there were no "big egos" at the club. He displayed confidence in his players, abandoning them largely to their own devices, although he did not seem to be fully aware of what they were up to off the field, even going so far as to warn them to abandon their girlfriends if he felt they were unsuitable. He also created lengthy dossiers on opposing teams to ensure that his players knew every detail about the opposition and were able to exploit mistakes and nullify threats. Other changes were based on his numerous superstitions, including his belief that birds were unlucky, which resulted in him losing the owl on the club badge, and the abandonment of the Peacocks name in favour of the Whites.

Leeds' 1962–62 season was rocky for the club, with Billy Bremner and Jack Charlton as the team's leaders; Les Cocker, Maurice Lindley, and Syd Owen, who would all spend many years with Revie at Leeds, all represented a good coaching staff. He introduced a youth program at the club, among the notable graduates of which would be Eddie Gray, Norman Hunter, Peter Lorimer, and Paul Reaney are among the club's notable alumni. He had a difficult time persuading young players to join Leeds over more popular clubs, but he made sure they felt at ease, and in one case, he went to Scotland to convince Bremner to remain in Leeds rather than returning to Scotland to be with her. Revie played his last game in March 1962 before focusing solely on leadership.

Revie was able to invest £25,000 on Everton's Scotland international Bobby Collins, who was appointed captain after a recent inquiry at board level. Billy McAdams, forward Ian Lawson, and left-back Cliff Mason were among the others to arrive. Revie spent £53,000 to bring John Charles back from Juventus, but despite the fact that he was not as good as during his first stint at Leeds, he was able to sell him to Roma for a £17,000 profit in a matter of months. Leeds pushed for promotion from 1962–63, but the harsh winter and a backlog of games at the end of the season were too much for Leeds, who dropped away to finish fifth in fifth place.

United's 1963–64 promotion as the champions of the Second Division, aided by the late signing of striker Alan Peacock from Middlesbrough for £53,000. However, Leeds' overtly physical approach typified by captain Collins earned the club's reputation as "dirty" during Revie's tenure as manager and continues to this day. Leeds adapted to the First Division early in the 1964–65 season, but Collins' return to Goodison Park sparked controversies, with the game against Everton descended into a brawl and the referee ordered the players off the field after 35 minutes to avoid further violence. Leeds continued to win on a high level after losing to Birmingham City on the last day of the season. They also reached the FA Cup final by losing 2–1 at Wembley Stadium after extra time.

Revie said he did not have to expand his squad for the 1966–66 campaign and that there were no new signings. He demonstrated his gamesmanship by sending his team out against Torino, an Italian club, in an attempt to confuse the Italian club's tight man-marking system. However, Collins was ripped from his leg by Torino's Fabrizio Poletti, so Revie had to join Giles and Bremner in central midfield and pay Huddersfield Town winger Michael O'Grady £30,000. Despite the fact that Collins will be out of town, Giles and Bremner's partnership will be highly fruitful. Leeds finished second in the league, behind Liverpool by six points. They reached the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-finals, losing on aggregate to Real Zaragoza from Revie's order to flood the pitch before the repeat at Elland Road.

Leeds had trouble at the start of the 1966-67 season, but they went on to finish fourth place after winning just three games in the first eleven games. They defeated Chelsea 1–0 at Villa Park in the FA Cup semi-finals, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals. Leeds defeated GNK Dinamo Zagreb in the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, but they were unable to scout the opposition due to Syd Owen's flight cancellation; Revie was chastised for his negative tactics.

With his team coming close but losing a trophy, he thought he'd been put on Elland Road so that there would be no bad luck in the 1967-1968 season. United's most cost-effective tactic was to almost double the club's transfer fee to purchase Sheffield United centre-forward Mick Jones for £100,000, who will replace the often injured Peacock as the main striker. Leeds won 7–0 over Chelsea right after the purchase, but Jones was not on the score sheet. Revie's first trophy, as they eliminated Luton Town, Bury, Sunderland, Stoke City, and Derby County from the Final, after Revie told his players to "shut down shop" and protect their 1–0 lead. This victory did not immediately translate into league and FA Cup triumph, though they did finish fourth place and were eliminated by Everton in the FA Cup semi-finals. They then qualified for their second straight Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final against Hungarian club Ferencvárosi, defeating CA Spora Luxembourg (Luxembourg), FK Partizan (Yugoslavia), Hibernian (Scotland), Rangers (Scotland), and Dundee (Scotland). Leeds won the first leg 1–0 and defended their lead with a 0–0 draw in Budapest a month later, by which time Jimmy Greenhoff, a replacement in the first leg, had been sold to Birmingham City.

Revie made the decision to concentrate entirely on the league for the 1968–69 campaign after winning both domestic and European cup titles. Following a 5–1 loss to Burnley at Turf Moor on October 19th, the Leeds team remained unbeaten in the league for the remainder of the season; after the game, Revie led his team out onto the field to applaud the Liverpool supporters, who applauded the Leeds team. His team set a variety of records, including most points (67), most wins (27), fewest losses (2), and most home points (39); a bleak club record of 34 matches that stretches into the following season.

Revie updated his front page by breaking the British transfer record with a £165,000 purchase of Allan Clarke from Leicester City, who will team Mick Jones up front. Lorimer was able to sell O'Grady to Wolverham Wanderers for £80,000, allowing him to play a more offensive role. In a turbulent close season, he hoped to reach his goal in 1969–70, finishing second in the league to Everton, losing the 1970 FA Cup Final to Chelsea (after a replay), and leaving the European Cup by a record crowd of 136,505 at Hampden Park.

Revie refused a £100,000 four-year contract to lead Birmingham City, Revie instead elected to remain at Leeds and stick with the same squad for the 1970–71 campaign. Leeds and Arsenal were soon dropped from the rest of the pack, but it would be the Gunners who would win the league championship, one point ahead of Leeds, who lost to West Bromwich Albion after a contentious offside penalty in front of the Match of the Day television cameras late in the season. United's humiliation was defeated in the FA Cup by Colchester United's fourth Division rival in a famous "giant-killing." Leeds achieved triumph in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup again, defeating Sarpsborg FK (Norway), Dynamo Dresden (East Germany), AC Sparta Prague (Czechoslovakia), Vitória (Portugal) and Liverpool to progress to the final against Juventus. They drew 2–2 at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino before winning the trophy on away goals after a 1–1 draw at Elland Road.

Revie was outraged by West Bromwich Albion's loss last season, causing Revie to accuse referee Ray Tinkler. Leeds were compelled to play their first four home games of the 1971–72 season at a neutral venue; the club's Leeds Road played at Huddersfield's Leeds Road and reported four victories and two draws from the first seven games as punishment; they were banned from playing their first four home games of the 1971–72 season. Leeds played well, earning praise for their 7–0 and 6–1 victories over Southampton and Nottingham Forest respectively, but after a late collapse and final day loss, Derby County was unable to claim the title by a single point. Revie had attempted to expand his squad before the final run-in with a £177,000 bid for Asa Hartford, but the medical team cancelled the deal due to a heart defect in the attacker's medical records. United reached the 1972 FA Cup Final after beating Bristol Rovers, Liverpool, Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Birmingham City, as well as the trophy, which was boosted after a 1–0 victory over Arsenal in the final.

He was looking for a successor to Jack Charlton during the 1972-73 season, and he did not sign Gordon McQueen from St Mirren for £30,000. He also spent £100,000 on defender Trevor Cherry and £35,000 on centre-half Roy Ellam, both from Huddersfield Town, and started playing younger Scottish forward Joe Jordan more often. Leeds came close to a Treble this season, but their league title campaign faltered and they finished third, seven points behind champions Liverpool. United did qualify to face Sunderland in the 1973 FA Cup Final, but United lost 11-0 after boss and pundit Brian Clough said that "there is no way Sunderland will beat Leeds." Leeds also reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup against Italian club A.C. Milan, who lost 1–0 after Norman Hunter was forced to leave after being consistently fouled by kicking Gianni Rivera to the ground. Richard Corbett, a Yorkshire and Humber MEP, unsuccessfully requested the European Parliament to reverse the decision of the match after allegations that Michas accepted a bribe from the Italian side.

Everton gave Revie a five-year contract (plus £50,000 signing-on fee) in the summer, but Revie was stuck with Leeds after the move fell back due to a new law in Parliament that barred wage hikes from decreasing inflation. He preferred to continue with largely the same lineup for the 1973–74 season. He told his staff that the season's goal would be to go unbeaten throughout the season. Even though Leeds struggled to win three games in a row between February and March, the team did win the trophy by a five-point lead over Liverpool. He was entirely focused on the league, and eventually deciding that he was asking too much of his players to try and win every competition he ever lost, resulting in his early departure from the UEFA Cup. He agreed to lead a European Cup challenge at Leeds and breaking up the club's aging team, despite being a vocal critic of Revie. Despite being in his 44 days on the job, Clough earned more in transfer fees than Revie had in his 13 years with the club.

Revie accepted the England manager's position in July 1974, succeeding Alf Ramsey and caretaker-manager Joe Mercer. Revie's personality and ideas were admiring by the Football Association, particularly Ted Croker. He was a common choice in the media and supporters; former journalist Brian Glanville wrote that "Revie was the most obvious option." Revie sought to establish a friendship with the media, while still inviting 81 young and established England players to a Manchester conference to make everyone feel welcome, where he revealed that he would establish extra compensation for international players as well as bonus payments for victories and draws. Hardaker had long opposed Revie and was reluctant to accept his plan to reschedule league fixtures to benefit the England team, but he had a meeting with Alan Hardaker, the Football League's chairman. He also had strained relationships with figures within the FA, most notably with chairman Sir Harold Thompson, who reportedly attempted to influence Revie's team picks and shame him publicly. As well as this, he had trouble introducing the Leeds traditions into the England camp, such as carpet bowls and bingo, which were met with resentment and disdain by some English nationals. Revie was ill-suited to the England job, according to Colin Todd, with his strengths concentrated in day-to-day dealing with club administration rather than in international management's politics and committee meetings.

England was placed in a tough qualification group for UEFA Euro 1976, including Czechoslovakia, Portugal, and Cyprus, with only the winner progressing to the finals. England started the season well with a 3–0 victory over Czechoslovakia at Wembley Stadium, with Mick Channon and Colin Bell scoring the goals. However, a 0–0 home draw with Portugal was a minor setback, despite Malcolm Macdonald scoring all the goals in a 5–0 victory over Cyprus following a morale-boosting 2–0 friendly win over 1974 FIFA World Cup champions West Germany. Kevin Keegan scored the only goal of the game at the Tsirion Stadium to gain maximum points in Cyprus, putting England in a good spot going into the two tough final group games in Czechoslovakia and Portugal. Despite only drawing with Wales and Northern Ireland, a 5–1 victory over Scotland gave England the 1974 British Home Championship crown and left England in a good mood for the crucial qualifying games. However, Channon opening the scoring, the Czechoslovaks fell to a 2–1 loss in Bratislava after playing with what was expected of Revie's uncharacteristic attacking tactics. After a 1–1 draw in Lisbon, Czechoslovakia was able to clinch the tournament with a victory over Cyprus. After winning the entire tournament, Czechoslovakia advanced to the top of the standings. Revie has been chastised for his regular player swaps throughout the qualifying group, especially his decision to drop captain Emlyn Hughes and Alan Ball from his squad entirely, his mistrust of flair players like Charlie George and Alan Hudson, and his willingness to play players out of place.

Revie had to fight it out in qualifying for the 1978 World Cup of Italy, Finland, and Luxembourg with England unveiled. Only the champion will advance to the finals. England suffered a 2–1 loss to Scotland to finish second in the 1975–76 British Home Championship, just before the campaign began. Both Finland and Luxembourg made heavy work against the Finns and Luxembourgers, winning 4–1 away and 2–1 away from home and 2–0 away against the Luxembourgers. The inability to cause bigger setbacks on these teams was ultimately the reason why Italy qualified for the finals on goal difference alone. England lost by 2–0 in Rome, where Revie was chastised for his previously untested back four pick of Emlyn Hughes, Dave Clement, Roy McFarland, and Mick Mills; he also surprised many by selecting Stan Bowles ahead of Stuart Pearson. Sensing that FA chairman Sir Harold Thompson was disliked by the FA, and with further criticism coming his way after England finished third in the 1976–77 British Home Championship, Revie started to search for a solution. When in fact he had traveled to Dubai for contract talks with the United Arab Emirates, he skipped a friendly with Brazil in Rio de Janeiro for what he claimed to be a scouting mission on the Italians. Revie demanded that his England deal be terminated, but the FA refused to do so, and Revie retained their complete support despite having already contacted Bobby Robson to replace him. Brazil's game ended in a 0–0 draw, and their South American tour came to an end with draws with Argentina and Uruguay. Revie revealed in an exclusive to the Daily Mail on July 12, 1977, that he had left the England job to become the UAE's manager. The FA banned Revie from football for ten years on suspicion of bring the game into disrepute; Revie contested his suspension in a FA lawsuit; the court overturned the suspension after finding that the FA had overreached its powers.

England was three points behind Italy in the qualification group at the time of Revie's departure, with two games remaining, including an encounter with the Italians at Wembley Stadium. In both remaining matches, Revie's replacement Ron Greenwood led the national team to victory. On points, England and the Italians were therefore on parity, but not so much on goal difference. England skipped their second straight World Cup tournament after only the group's champion qualified for the finals.

His United Arab Emirates contract promised him a four-year deal, but he did irreparable harm to his image in England. He also earned him £20,000, but only escalated the suspicion that he was a "mercenary" in the story. In Iraq, UAE placed sixth in the seven teams' 1979 FIFA World Cup of Nations, but it was his job in helping the country develop the footballing infrastructure in the long run, which was vital in the UAE's success in qualifying for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. In May 1980, he resigned from his coaching position in Abu Dhabi as the UAE began looking for an Arabic speaking coach. He returned to club leadership with Al-Nasr of the UAE Arabian Gulf League, but the club was fired in 1984 after finishing third in the league. He did a brief stint with Egyptian Premier League club Al-Ahly of Cairo but did not settle in Egypt and returned home to England. By chairman Jim Gregory, he was expected to replace Alan Mullery as the Queens Park Rangers manager, but Revie never played in football again.

Source