An Interview With Jimmy Greaves

The former Chelsea, AC Milan, Spurs and England ace talks to 50connect about the highlights of his glittering career.

Jimmy Greaves remains England’s third highest goalscorer and a much loved football personality. The phenomenal striker graced the game from 1957 to 1979, most famously playing for Chelsea, AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur.

Arguably the most consistent striker in English football history, Greaves still retains the record of finishing top league goalscorer in six seasons; a record that has never been matched. At Spurs Greaves won the FA Cup twice and also the European Cup Winners’ Cup ensuring Tottenham as the first British team to win a European trophy and cementing his place in the clubs history as one of their greatest ever players.

For England, Greaves holds an exceptional scoring ratio – 44 goals in 57 games. Greaves was also part of the 1966 World Cup squad but due to injury was replaced by Geoff Hurst who famously scored a hat trick in the final.

After short spells at West Ham and Barnet, Greaves enjoyed a successful post-playing career. He became a popular television presenter and pundit, striking up a memorable partnership with Ian St. John.

Together they hosted the popular lunch time show Saint and Greavsie. Greaves has since toured the country as an admired and in-demand after dinner speaker. Currently Greaves is doing a theatre tour telling his stories and hilarious anecdotes, along with guest speakers.

Interview

Who is the greatest player you played with during your career?

"A toss up between Dave Mackay and Bobby Moore. Dave motivated everybody around him with his inspirational performance. He could tackle like a tank, had an excellent left-foot cross field pass that could change the direction of play and he never ever accepted defeat until the final whistle.

"Bobby Moore read the game better than anybody I have ever seen, and was always in the right place at the right time. He was not the quickest thing on two feet, but was always yards ahead of the opposition in his thoughts."

What was your favourite moment of your career?

"There was a lot of pressure on me when I made my debut for Tottenham after moving from AC Milan in what were controversial circumstances.

"I silenced the critics by scoring a hat trick in a First Division match against Blackpool, including a scissors-kick goal that was as spectacular as any I ever scored."

How did it feel to miss out on the World Cup Final in 66?

"Naturally I felt sick, but in Alf Ramsey's position I would probably have done the same thing. The team played magnificently in the quarter and semi-finals and Alf decided not to change a winning team.

"I had stitches in a gash on my shin following the third match against France. That is what cost me my place in the side.

"Despite what people say, I never held a grudge against Alf. He had my respect as one of the greatest football tacticians of all time."

Do you have any regrets regarding your career?

"My only two major regrets were missing the World Cup final and failing to get into the 1962 European Cup final with Spurs after I had a perfectly legitimate goal ruled off-side against Benfica in the semi-final."

Which club did you enjoy your spell at the most?

"I had equal satisfaction at Chelsea and Tottenham, but if you put a gun to my head I would have to say Spurs where I was more in control of my game and playing in a better side.

"At Chelsea I was just a kid playing it off the cuff without fear."

Which players do you believe are the best around now?

"Steven Gerrard is the nearest thing I have seen to the late, great Busby Babe Duncan Edwards. Cristiano Ronaldo is outstanding, but not in the class of George Best. I wish he wouldn't go over so easily.

"Michael Owen is the best goal poacher of recent years, and it's a pity he has had so many injuries. Wayne Rooney is exceptional, but needs to show he has a good temperament to go with his talent."

Having worked as a football pundit since your retirement, which pundits do you think talk sense?

"I respect any pundit who sits in front of the camera and tells the absolute truth. That rules out most of them. There are too many fence sitters. Saint and I used to tell it as it was and rarely ducked giving stick if it was deserved."

What is your opinion of the Tottenham and Chelsea squads today? Do you think their respective managers are right for the teams?

"Despite all the money that has been splashed about, I reckon the current Tottenham team would not have lived with the Spurs double side of 1960-61.

"Just to remind you, the team then was Brown, Baker, Henry, Blanchflower, Norman, Mackay, Medwin/Dyson, White, Smith, Allen, Jones. That was as good a club side as ever played.

"And the recent management lack the creative imagination of the great Bill Nicholson, who would be worth a billion pounds if he was managing today. We’re starting to see changes from Harry Redknapp and it’s about time; hopefully Harry can bring back some of the old glory days.

"As for Chelsea, they are only as good as Abramovich's wallet. They had a bit of style when Mourinho was in charge and it’s been fascinating to see what both Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink have tried to achieve.

"Both of them certainly looked the business on paper, but the Premier League calls for a certain composure and cunning. Alex Ferguson is still the king, and will take some knocking off his throne."

As a popular after dinner speaker, are these all the plans you have for the time being? Do you enjoy reciting your tales?

"I love travelling the country with the road show staged by Terry Baker of A1 Sporting Speakers. I get an instant feedback reaction from the audiences which you don't enjoy on television.

"I loved every moment of my TV career, but that's history now. To get on the box these days you need to be able to hang a bit of wallpaper, cook beans on toast or dance the fandango. I know I'm biased, but I don't think there's a sports show on the screen to rival the old Saint and Greavsie programme.

"I know that makes me sound like a grumpy old footballer, but anybody who used to switch on to us in our peak years will, I believe, agree with my opinion. You can get a taste of our humour with a book we've released called Funny Old Games, and that has the best collection of amusing and startling sports stories you'll ever read."

How did you rate Jimmy Greaves as a player?

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A superb and natural striker, never prone to cheat and a wonderful character on and off the pitch who always demonstrated he was enjoying his game as much as we enjoyed watching him.

Colin Healey