Gordon Taylor is the head of the English PFA (Players Football Association). He is reportedly the highest paid union official in the world, but he had some harsh things to say about the game and some of his members. I’ll send you to the link in the Telegraph Newspaper in a moment.When I first came to Vancouver to coach the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1977, Gordon Taylor and Derek Possee were my first player signings. Both did very well and so my credibility was enhanced.

Gordon was a winger and played over 500 times in the English League.  Gordon, Derek and I got to know one another very well as we were all housed in the same apartment building. We all thought we were in Vancouver just for the summer and would return to the UK at the end of the season. Gordon did, but not Derek and ourselves. We are still here.

In the circumstances, we treated the summer season a little like a paid holiday and therefore we did not distance ourselves when we were away from the soccer field – as inevitably coach and players must do to a greater or lesser degree.

So in our downtime we would get together for barbeques or go as three families to the park or beach.

Incidentally, Gordon managed to play professionally while getting a university degree – almost impossible in those days. Full credit to him.

Click the link and read Gordon’s concerns about the game in the UK today.