Glenn Roeder - 1955-2021 - Former Manager & Player - Rip

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by Luther Bassett, Feb 28, 2021.

  1. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    A wonderful anecdote Chiswell and thank you for sharing it here.
    It endorses what many on here and others in the wider world have said.
    RIP Glenn.
     
  2. cyaninternetdog

    cyaninternetdog Forum Hippie

    Dont remember much about him apart from him scoring an own goal for us in the last game of that epic run of FA cup replays against Newcastle in the late 80s. Always came across as a nice bloke on TV during interviews on MOTD etc. RIP.
     
  3. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    When we played Burnley in the 3rd tier, and he was assitant to Waddle, he drove my dad and me up there, got us in the directors box, introduced me to Chris Waddle in his office before the game and got us chicken and chips with gravy and beers.

    We lost, two goals from Andy Cooke, who was very much the number 9 we were missing in our own side. Still, he treated us like VIPs (insofar as a 3rd tier football match can be a VIP experience).

    I remember Waddle was really worried about Peter Kennedy as our danger man.
     
  4. Dorset-Orn

    Dorset-Orn First Year Pro

    Sad news.
    I always remember how he clearly nurtured the younger players around him. Don't shout if I'm wrong, but my memory was him putting a very young David Holdsworth in front of himself as a CB pairing. He had all the nous and Holdsworth had the agility and they looked a very decent pairing just when we needed it.
     
    Vic and wfcmoog like this.
  5. The Duck

    The Duck Academy Graduate

    It is so sad to hear of Glenn's passing. I was completely shocked. So many people on here and in the football world that have met him have said some wonderful things about him. He was obviously a real gentleman.

    When I was young, I used to have rose tinted spectacles when it came to Watford, but Glenn Roeder was the first non Watford player I admired, when he caught my eye in the QPR / Spurs cup final. He was an awesome player, and I was chuffed to bits when he signed for us. He was such a classy player and hardly broke into a sweat because he could read the game so well. I always used to say (and still do) that he was the best centre back never to play for England. And who can forget the Roeder Shuffle.

    Thinking of his family at this very sad time. A true Watford and football legend. RIP.
     
    Timbers, Rozerhorn, Vic and 3 others like this.
  6. SkylaRose

    SkylaRose Administrator Staff Member

    Massive personality on and off the field. Always had a smile, and a great footballer in his prime. Sadly missed by all. RIP. Wishes to all family and close friends.
     
    Vic likes this.
  7. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    My first memory of seeing Glenn Roeder play was for the QPR team that came to Vicarage Road shortly after our return to Div 2 in 1979. They were too good for us, winning 2-1, and he ran the game from deep with the famed step over on show. He was an ideal fit for their style of that time: flamboyant but effective and it was so unusual then to see a British defender play in the manner of a European ‘libero’. As with a number of players over the years, his manner off the pitch was at odds with his extrovert performances on it and he proved to be a thoughtful and humble manager for us and others.

    It has been uplifting to read the comments on here and elsewhere about people’s memories of Glenn, someone who played a significant part in the story of English football and who we were lucky to have at our club both as player and manager.
     
  8. Vic

    Vic First Year Pro

  9. easthertshornet

    easthertshornet Reservist

    I still remember a fans forum at a Bushey car show room many years ago when Glenn lost his rag with one of the questions from the audience...... something to do with funding for players I think
     
  10. Vic

    Vic First Year Pro

    I
    Was he really responsible for buying Moralee? That’s ok. Glenn got much more right than wrong, as far as I can see. And anyway, Moralee did look like a good player, until he joined us.

    He was responsible for the acquisition of Craig Ramage from Derby, for very little money. Ramage may have disgraced himself in recent years as a racist idiot pundit, but as a player under Glenn Roeder he was pure quality. In the days when Watford managers had to work the transfer market, GR proved himself time and time again. Others have mentioned Mooney and Phillips, but he also found hard working gems in defence, like Keith Millen and Colin Foster. Roeder was, as others have said, underrated as a manager, partly because of his quiet public persona and partly because he never pushed for the glamorous jobs. He was a hardworking man who liked working with players and getting the best out of a team that might not have been considered a favourite. The 7th place finish in 1995 was remarkable.

    He held GT in high esteem, although he found his legacy hard to work under. But he, echoing GT, also had time for fans. I wrote Glenn a letter once. A nice letter, because I liked what he was doing. But obviously I had to make my own, amateur suggestions. I actually cringe a bit when I think what I wrote. He wrote back, thanking me. Addressing my suggestions, he didn’t belittle it at all, recognising the value of what I’d said, he agreed in part. He then thanked me for my support of the club, saying how much he appreciated that, and said how he was doing everything he could to turn Watford into a consistent and winning team. I believe he really did give everything he could. I’m sad he had such a terrible owner to work for, and I was desperately sad that he was the one who had to make way for the return of the great GT. If only a lesser man had been sacrificed.
     
    wfcmoog, Rozerhorn, Chiswell and 5 others like this.
  11. Dorset-Orn

    Dorset-Orn First Year Pro

    Good points....
    I had forgotten which manager had brought in Foster and Millen. I think it was early 1994, I came up for a midweek game against Portsmouth during a poor spell of form. On came a brand new CB pairing of Foster and Millen and what an impact.!
    If that was Glen's doing it was a great bit of business.!!
     
    sherwood, wfcmoog, Chiswell and 2 others like this.
  12. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Why did he drive you and your dad ?
     
  13. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    Because he lived down here still and was mates with my dad.
     
    The undeniable truth likes this.
  14. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    I’m sure Roeder had a little lollipop skillmove unknown to CBs at the time. He did it once for us and I remember him pulling it off playing for Newcastle as well.
     
  15. leighton buzzard horn

    leighton buzzard horn Squad Player

    Roeder was manager for my first ever Watford game and so he was partly to blame for me falling in love with Watford. We were also lucky enough to interview him for the legends site, and when we pushed our luck on one question (Kerry Dixon related I think) he gave us a polite push back and carried on - no drama, just a reminder of what we had agreed and carried on with the interview.

    A thoroughly decent bloke, but a terribly young age to go.
     

Share This Page