PETER TAYLOR: Beckham says he became a global superstar after I gave him the England captaincy... but really it was down to his attitude and determination

Published: 02:30 EST, 5 February 2014 | Updated: 03:59 EST, 5 February 2014

From cajoling the non-league players of Dartford and Dover to making David Beckham the captain of England, current Gillingham manager Peter Taylor has enjoyed a career quite unique in its range. As a tricky winger famed for his impressions of Norman Wisdom, he played for Southend United, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, Leyton Orient, Oldham and Exeter City and was capped for England whilst playing in the Third Division. In his debut Footballers' Football Column Taylor talks about the challenge of being in charge of the Gills for a second time and managing the son of his former skipper.

 

Peter Taylor Footballers' Football Column

You're showing your age when you manage the son of one of your former players. It’s happened to me at Gillingham with Andy and Jake Hessenthaler.

I first came across Andy in 1986 at my first club, Dartford, in non-league. We played Corinthian and I couldn’t help notice the energy of one of their midfield players. It was Andy and I offered him 40-quid-a-week to join us. He did and went on to have a wonderful career with Watford. Then he played for me again at Gillingham, where he’s regarded as a true club legend.

It is spooky that I’m back at Gillingham now many years later and I’ve got his 19-year-old son Jake in my team. I’ve known Jake his entire life and I feel a bit sorry for him when my wife tells him she remembers him as a little baby!

Second spell: Peter Taylor is back at Gillingham after originally managing them in 1999

My job is to help Jake have a great career like his dad. I think his parents are glad I’m his manager because they know I won’t let him get away with anything.  In a game against Tranmere, he threw his arms up in the air at the referee, just like his Dad used to. I bawled him out over that.

Andy had a heart of a lion but Jake is probably the slightly better footballer. If he can emulate his dad’s never-say-die attitude as well, we’ll have a real prospect on our hands.

I’ve spent all my working life in football but I still get the buzz of working with players and trying to improve them. You’ve got to stay fit and healthy to keep up and I go to a gym most days to exercise. I can be on the treadmill and think of new ideas for training the next day.

Father and son: Taylor managed Andy Hessenthaler in the 1990s and is now in charge of his son Jake

Football is a game I still absolutely love and as long as I’m given the opportunities, I will never give it up. There are certain days where you go ”Blimey” and take a defeat badly, but by the next morning you bounce back and say 'Come on', and think of ways to improve the team. I’d hope to go on to 70 like Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson. Why not if I keep the hunger and desire?

Tom Huddleston was my player at England Under 21s. When I thought of him, I thought of Glenn Hoddle, simple as that. I hope he’s  got a chance of going to the World Cup – I certainly wouldn’t rule it out.

When you see Tom pass the ball, you can see why he’d be an asset in Brazil. Out there you want your teams to keep the ball a little bit more and Tom’s ideal. In a 23-man squad, you want different options –there  is no point going to a tournament with  two players exactly the same in every position.

International football suits Tom because a lot of teams play with three midfielders. I know Roy (Hodgson) has done 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, which to me means plenty of bodies in there. The old 4-4-2 with two players staying wide, Tom would struggle with that because he hasn’t got enough legs around him.

He has the same  passing range as Hoddle, the same legs – ie not the quickest! – but their passing range on both feet is outstanding. I played 4-3-3 at the under-21s with Nigel Reo-Coker alongside Tom, Nigel had fantastic legs on the football pitch.

I had James Milner in that team as well, any manager will say James is the best they’ve worked with. People say he hasn’t got enough quality at times, but he is a very good player, very reliable. I would be very surprised if he’s not in the squad.

After I made David Beckham the England captain against Italy (November 2000), Sven Goran Eriksson took over; I went my way and David went his and we didn’t really have a chance to talk after that.

A few years later I was in Poland for an England game and I saw David over there signing shirts and balls for hundreds of fans.

The making of a superstar: Beckham was handed the England captaincy by Taylor

Global star: Beckham puts his super-stardom down to being handed the England captaincy

I just went up to him and said 'How are you mate? I knew you were famous, but didn’t realise you were this  famous!'

His reaction when he saw me was to say 'It’s all down to you', meaning the captain’s armband. It was a nice way of him saying thank you.

I applaud players like David and James Milner who have given themselves every chance to fulfil what they have got. David wasn’t quick, but was a great passer and crosser, and I think he did even better in his career than he might’ve had on pure ability, because of his attitude and determination.

That’s not a bad thing – it’s a fantastic quality to have.

Pass master: Taylor believes Tom Huddlestone is good enough to go to the World Cup with England

I don't get on telly too much these days so when Sky Sports screened Gillingham v Wolves on my birthday on January 3, it was a big thing for the club.

Unfortunately, I’d been in bed all day with flu-type symptoms, aches and pains. It was bad. I managed to get to the game and we scored a late winner to win 1-0. People said to me I didn’t do much when we scored. Truth is I could hardly move!

Thankfully my wife came to the game with my youngest daughter and her husband so they got me home alright.

Good times: Taylor celebrates with chairman Paul Scally after guiding Gillingham to the Play-off win in 2000

The Gillingham job is one of the hardest ones I’ve faced. The manager before me Martin Allen was popular and I don’t think some of the fans were convinced I’d do a better job than him.

We’re fighting for our lives in League One but we’ve got a very good youth development man in Darren Hare and there are some good youngsters here. Bradley Dack has just got into the first team, he’s got a chance. So has Jake. The left-back Joe Martin is the son of Alvin, who I used to play against. Showing my age again!

It’s a good area to find footballers and the youngsters know if they show something they’ll get a first-team chance sharpish.

Tough job: Taylor looks dejected against after Gillingham lost to Brentford

Jose Mourinho is the real deal in putting himself out for others. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he was first at Chelsea, and I was at Hull City.

The LMA called to say I’d won a quarterly award, in which the prize was a Tissot watch. I said “What, I have beaten Mourinho!” and the LMA said believe it or not, Jose wanted to present me with the watch.

So I had a day at Chelsea to meet him, and he was absolutely fantastic. What I love about him as a coach is that people said he won titles at Chelsea by winning 1-0 and being organised. At Real Madrid, he turned them into the best counter-attacking team I’d seen. He isn’t just a defensive coach, he has the flair to win games at the top level as well.

Anthony Hudson (son of  former Chelsea, Arsenal and England great Alan) was my Olympic coach in Bahrain and he wanted to go to Real Madrid for a week to see how Mourinho did things.

So he rung Harry Redknapp who knew his Dad Alan, and Harry called Mourinho to organise it. Anthony went and couldn’t believe how much Mourinho put himself out for him, he took time every day to explain what coaching drills he was putting on with his players, and why he was doing it.

Even with Sir Alex gone, there are some great  managers in the Premier League. Mourinho is one and I am desperate for David Moyes to do well at Manchester United as well. The day Sir Alex retired, I was at Everton’s training ground in my capacity as England under-20s manager. All the cameras were there but even on that day, everything was about hard work and organisation.

Simply the Best: Taylor says George Best was the best player he faced in his career

One of the greats: Taylor came up against Pele in America

David deserved that chance at United and knowing how he has grafted to be successful, I hope it works out for him.

George Best was my favourite opponent. I played against him a few times but the one that stood out was a charity game at Barnet’s ground, where he nutmegged me from 20 yards.

I just couldn’t believe it and to be fair to him he made me feel better  afterwards by saying it was the longest nutmeg he’d ever done!

I also played against Pele for 20 minutes in 1976 when England played Team America (Pele was with New York Cosmos at the time) to celebrate the 200th anniversary of American independence. So I have to say George was my favourite opponent but Pele was the best!

Bahrain was a great experience because it taught me how to treat players in different ways. I thought the facilities and attitude of the players would be absolutely top-notch which wasn’t the case. The younger players were hungry but the experienced ones sometimes less so. It made me appreciate that the grit of British players is a real strength in our game. Not everyone has it.

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