Danny McLennan
Encyclopedia
Daniel Morrison McLennan (5 May 1925 – 11 May 2004) was a Scottish
football player and coach. As a player, he was a Scottish League Cup
winner with East Fife
. His extensive coaching career took him all around the world and spanned a period of forty years, during which he managed ten national teams.
Born in Stirling, Scotland, the young Daniel McLennan was a talented inside left representing his country at Schoolboy level before being snapped up by Rangers
as a 17 year-old apprentice. McLennan moved onto play for Dundee and East Fife, where he had his most successful spell as a player.
His first coaching role came as player-manager of Berwick Rangers in 1957, and went onto coach the national teams of the Philippines
, Mauritius
, Rhodesia
, Iran
, Bahrain
, Iraq
, Malawi
, Jordan, Fiji, and Libya.
who he moved from midfield to play up-front with great results. At the 1976 Gulf Cup in Doha under coach McLennan’s instructions the Iraqi team attacked from the opening seconds of matches hoping to kill-off the game by half-time; this tactic worked as they trashed the United Arab Emirates (4-0), Bahrain (4-1), Oman (4-0) and Saudi Arabia with a historic 7-1 victory with Kadhim Waal, a 24 year-old striker the Scotsman had handed his international debut a year earlier, netting in the first 90 seconds of the match.
In the last match against Iraq’s closest rivals Kuwait, the Iraqi team continued with the ‘early all-attack tactic’ and were 2-0 up after only four minutes of the second half however with the Iraqis looking for the killer third goal – Kuwait scored two goals in two minutes, as the game ended in a 2-2 draw. The result put both teams on the same number of points and meant Iraq had to play Kuwait in a play-off for the Gulf Cup – which Iraq lost 4-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Kuwaiti striker Abdul-Aziz Al-Anbari. A few weeks later the Iraq FA upset by the way the team had been defeated by Kuwait and how the tournament had ended replaced McLennan with Yugoslav coach Lenko Grčić
known as “Gaga” or “Kaka” as Iraqi newspapers wrote his name (Kaka is Kurdish for brother).
However McLennan’s tactics and playing style left a lasting impression and legacy in the region which changed the face of football in the Gulf, as the Football Associations of several nations in the Gulf States moved from employing Brazilian coaches to British coaches the most high-profile being Don Revie
who left his job as England coach to manage the UAE, this was all partly to coach McLennan and his Iraqi team which had impressed every influential Sheikh heading their teams delegation in the Gulf Cup in Doha. The Saudi Arabian FA had such a poor tournament that the sport rulers of the country decided that the only way forward was to completely revolutionse the game in the Kingdom - passing on the running of football which had previously been controlled by the Youth and Sports Ministry to the World Sports Academy whose president Englishman Jimmy Hill
, the former player, coach, referee, chairman, commentator and pundit employed to change the face of Saudi football. The organisation with $50 million at their disposal brought in British coaches to manage Saudi clubs, while also improving other aspects of the game in the Kingdom from grass or ‘sand’ roots to the highest level. The results took nearly a decade to bear fruit with the Saudi national team winning the 1984, 1988 & 1996 Asian Cup and qualifying for the World Cup on four consecutive occasions from 1994 to 2006.
His last job was at the Indian club side Churchill Brothers SC, where he had two spells the last coming in 1998.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football player and coach. As a player, he was a Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
winner with East Fife
East Fife F.C.
East Fife Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the Fife coastal town of Methil...
. His extensive coaching career took him all around the world and spanned a period of forty years, during which he managed ten national teams.
Born in Stirling, Scotland, the young Daniel McLennan was a talented inside left representing his country at Schoolboy level before being snapped up by Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
as a 17 year-old apprentice. McLennan moved onto play for Dundee and East Fife, where he had his most successful spell as a player.
His first coaching role came as player-manager of Berwick Rangers in 1957, and went onto coach the national teams of the Philippines
Philippines national football team
The Philippines national football team is the national football team of the Philippines and represents the country in international football. The team is controlled by the Philippine Football Federation , the governing body of football in the Philippines....
, Mauritius
Mauritius national football team
The Mauritius national football team, nicknamed Club M, is the national team of Mauritius and is controlled by the Mauritius Football Association.-Early years:...
, Rhodesia
Zimbabwe national football team
The Zimbabwe national football team, nicknamed The Warriors, is the national team of Zimbabwe and is controlled by the Zimbabwe Football Association. They were known as the Southern Rhodesia national football team from 1939–1964, then the Rhodesia national football team until 1980, when Rhodesia...
, Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
, Bahrain
Bahrain national football team
The Bahrain national football team is the national team of the Kingdom of Bahrain and is controlled by the Bahrain Football Association; it was founded in 1951 and joined FIFA in 1966. They have never reached the finals of the World Cup, but have twice come within one match of doing so...
, Iraq
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
, Malawi
Malawi national football team
The Malawi national football team, nicknamed The Flames, is the national team of Malawi and is controlled by the Football Association of Malawi. Before 1966 they were known as the Nyasaland national football team...
, Jordan, Fiji, and Libya.
Iraq
McLennan was coach of Iraq for only a year dubbed by many as the ‘golden era of Iraqi football’, that changed the face of football in the Middle East. McLennan took over as coach of Iraq in 1975 and put together one of the best sides fans had seen. The Scottish coach had an eye for talent and introduced a number of relatively unknown players to the national team and made them household names, these players included young striker Kadhim Waal, left back Adil Khudhair, forward Ahmed Subhi not to mention Hadi Ahmed and Falah HassanFalah Hassan
Falah Hassan is a former Iraqi international football player.Early lifeFalah Hassan was born in 1951 in the village of Mimouna, in a district of Qalat Salih...
who he moved from midfield to play up-front with great results. At the 1976 Gulf Cup in Doha under coach McLennan’s instructions the Iraqi team attacked from the opening seconds of matches hoping to kill-off the game by half-time; this tactic worked as they trashed the United Arab Emirates (4-0), Bahrain (4-1), Oman (4-0) and Saudi Arabia with a historic 7-1 victory with Kadhim Waal, a 24 year-old striker the Scotsman had handed his international debut a year earlier, netting in the first 90 seconds of the match.
In the last match against Iraq’s closest rivals Kuwait, the Iraqi team continued with the ‘early all-attack tactic’ and were 2-0 up after only four minutes of the second half however with the Iraqis looking for the killer third goal – Kuwait scored two goals in two minutes, as the game ended in a 2-2 draw. The result put both teams on the same number of points and meant Iraq had to play Kuwait in a play-off for the Gulf Cup – which Iraq lost 4-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Kuwaiti striker Abdul-Aziz Al-Anbari. A few weeks later the Iraq FA upset by the way the team had been defeated by Kuwait and how the tournament had ended replaced McLennan with Yugoslav coach Lenko Grčić
Lenko Grčić
Lenko Grčić is a Croatian former football player and coach.-Career:Born in Split, Grčić began his football career in 1940 with the juniors of RNK Split, where he continued to play until 1946. In 1946 he joined the Army and for three years was a regular for JRV Naša Krila based in Zemun, playing...
known as “Gaga” or “Kaka” as Iraqi newspapers wrote his name (Kaka is Kurdish for brother).
However McLennan’s tactics and playing style left a lasting impression and legacy in the region which changed the face of football in the Gulf, as the Football Associations of several nations in the Gulf States moved from employing Brazilian coaches to British coaches the most high-profile being Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
who left his job as England coach to manage the UAE, this was all partly to coach McLennan and his Iraqi team which had impressed every influential Sheikh heading their teams delegation in the Gulf Cup in Doha. The Saudi Arabian FA had such a poor tournament that the sport rulers of the country decided that the only way forward was to completely revolutionse the game in the Kingdom - passing on the running of football which had previously been controlled by the Youth and Sports Ministry to the World Sports Academy whose president Englishman Jimmy Hill
Jimmy Hill
James William Thomas "Jimmy" Hill OBE is an English association football personality. His career has taken in virtually every role in football, including player, union leader, coach, manager, director, chairman, television executive, presenter, analyst and match official.-Early life:Hill was born...
, the former player, coach, referee, chairman, commentator and pundit employed to change the face of Saudi football. The organisation with $50 million at their disposal brought in British coaches to manage Saudi clubs, while also improving other aspects of the game in the Kingdom from grass or ‘sand’ roots to the highest level. The results took nearly a decade to bear fruit with the Saudi national team winning the 1984, 1988 & 1996 Asian Cup and qualifying for the World Cup on four consecutive occasions from 1994 to 2006.
His last job was at the Indian club side Churchill Brothers SC, where he had two spells the last coming in 1998.