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'Everything Gary Speed did while in football he did it in the right way' - former Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson pays tribute to late Wales manager
The veteran launched the former midfielder's career at Elland Road and has expressed his shock at the death of the 42-year-old, saying he had a long and successful career in store
28 Nov 2011 10:44:00
Getty Images
EXCLUSIVE
By Rob Stewart
Former Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson has hailed Gary Speed for his role in inspiring the club to championship glory and insisted his former charge would have been a major success as a manager with Wales.
Wilkinson paid a moving tribute to Speed whose glittering career he launched while in charge of Leeds as the Yorkshire club pipped Manchester United to the Football League Championship title in 1992.
“Gary had great values; he was modest, generous and certainly made the most if not more of his talent that he was entitled to and he made a terrific contribution to our success at Leeds,” Wilkinson told Goal.com.
“He was only young but he played with great distinction alongside Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan and David Batty and I think it is fair to say that you would struggle to find a better midfield than that today.
“Gary was unselfish, hard working and he had an eye for goal. He scored one goal every five games which suggests that he was just an attacking midfielder but he was of equal value in our penalty box because of his immense ability in the air.
“I remember when we won away at Southampton in the championship season early doors and he cracked in a wonderful 25-yarder and I thought this might just be our season and so it proved.”
Wilkinson handed Speed his debut when the Welshman was just 19 and he went on to represent Leeds almost 250 times before heading to Everton and then playing for Newcastle, Bolton and finally Sheffield United.
“I first saw him as a young trainee playing left-back in a Leeds United youth game and we talked about him at the time and suggested that might also have a go as playing wide on the left side of midfield,” Wilkinson added.
“But in fact in his time at Leeds he ended up playing in nine of the ten outfield positions without ever complaining.”
Wilkinson, who is the League Managers Association chairman, was confident Speed would have been a successful boss.
“As with everything Gary did while in football he did it in the right way and I am certain that he would have really made a mark in management and he had already got Wales going in the right direction,” Wilkinson said.
“Gary had approached management like he did his playing career in that he worked very hard at it and recognised the need for education.
“He got that education and poured a lot of work into coaching and management at Sheffield United with their young players, the reserves and then the first team before taking over the Wales team. Under Gary they had won four of their last five games and soared through the Fifa rankings.”
Wilkinson admitted he had been left baffled when it emerged that Speed had taken his own life at the age of 42.
“At this moment in time my thoughts are about him as a person and it is very difficult to get out of my mind the fact that he has left behind two boys and a wife, Louise, and his parents and it is just not like him,” Wilkinson said.
“In my experience what has happened is something that I would never ever have associated with Gary. Gary was just a well normal, well-balanced steady person who was always full of respect for everyone not just within football but among the wider public as well. It is an unbelievable shock.
“It is a great loss to football and the world as a whole and obviously a loss that they will never recover from for his family.”
Follow Rob Stewart on
By Rob Stewart
Former Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson has hailed Gary Speed for his role in inspiring the club to championship glory and insisted his former charge would have been a major success as a manager with Wales.
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Wilkinson paid a moving tribute to Speed whose glittering career he launched while in charge of Leeds as the Yorkshire club pipped Manchester United to the Football League Championship title in 1992.
“Gary had great values; he was modest, generous and certainly made the most if not more of his talent that he was entitled to and he made a terrific contribution to our success at Leeds,” Wilkinson told Goal.com.
“He was only young but he played with great distinction alongside Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan and David Batty and I think it is fair to say that you would struggle to find a better midfield than that today.
“Gary was unselfish, hard working and he had an eye for goal. He scored one goal every five games which suggests that he was just an attacking midfielder but he was of equal value in our penalty box because of his immense ability in the air.
“I remember when we won away at Southampton in the championship season early doors and he cracked in a wonderful 25-yarder and I thought this might just be our season and so it proved.”
Wilkinson handed Speed his debut when the Welshman was just 19 and he went on to represent Leeds almost 250 times before heading to Everton and then playing for Newcastle, Bolton and finally Sheffield United.
“I first saw him as a young trainee playing left-back in a Leeds United youth game and we talked about him at the time and suggested that might also have a go as playing wide on the left side of midfield,” Wilkinson added.
“But in fact in his time at Leeds he ended up playing in nine of the ten outfield positions without ever complaining.”
Wilkinson, who is the League Managers Association chairman, was confident Speed would have been a successful boss.
“As with everything Gary did while in football he did it in the right way and I am certain that he would have really made a mark in management and he had already got Wales going in the right direction,” Wilkinson said.
“Gary had approached management like he did his playing career in that he worked very hard at it and recognised the need for education.
“He got that education and poured a lot of work into coaching and management at Sheffield United with their young players, the reserves and then the first team before taking over the Wales team. Under Gary they had won four of their last five games and soared through the Fifa rankings.”
Wilkinson admitted he had been left baffled when it emerged that Speed had taken his own life at the age of 42.
“At this moment in time my thoughts are about him as a person and it is very difficult to get out of my mind the fact that he has left behind two boys and a wife, Louise, and his parents and it is just not like him,” Wilkinson said.
“In my experience what has happened is something that I would never ever have associated with Gary. Gary was just a well normal, well-balanced steady person who was always full of respect for everyone not just within football but among the wider public as well. It is an unbelievable shock.
“It is a great loss to football and the world as a whole and obviously a loss that they will never recover from for his family.”
Follow Rob Stewart on
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
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|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
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