George Cohen
Encyclopedia
George Reginald Cohen MBE
(born 22 October 1939, Kensington
, London
) was the right back for England
in the side which won the 1966 World Cup. He is the uncle of Rugby Union
World Cup winner, Ben Cohen
.
where he proved his worth as a committed and strong full back, especially adept at supporting wingers with overlapping runs.
He joined Fulham professionally in 1956 and remained a dependable performer for 13 years thereafter, though his chances at international level seemed to be restricted to a handful of caps at under 23 level, mainly due to the presence of Blackpool's
Jimmy Armfield
, who was the regular incumbent at No.2 and played in the 1962 World Cup in Chile
.
at Hampden Park
. England coach Alf Ramsey
duly tried out Cohen for his international debut a month later in a 2–1 win over Uruguay
. With Armfield unfortunately suffering an injury – timed appallingly with the World Cup imminent – Cohen went on to play in 21 of the next 23 internationals. Armfield managed two more caps in preparation for the 1966 tournament after regaining his fitness, but Cohen was Ramsey's first choice by the time the competition, which England was hosting, got underway.
Cohen was an immaculate performer in Ramsey's revolutionary team which played without conventional wide men, allowing for extra strength in midfield and relying on young, stamina-based players like Martin Peters
and Alan Ball
to drift from centre to flank and back again as required. When these players were occupied in more central positions or chasing high up the flank and needing support, this was where attacking full backs like Cohen proved their extra worth.
As England got through a group containing Uruguay, Mexico
and France
, Cohen's unfussy performances were rightly seen as just as vital as the attention-grabbing displays from the likes of Bobby Charlton
. Cohen maintained his form as England got past a thuggish Argentina
in the last eight, and was unwittingly featured in one of the more memorable photographs of the tournament in the immediate aftermath of the game – Ramsey, livid at the Argentinians' violent approach (he later memorably called them "animals" in a post-match interview), ran to Cohen in order to prevent him swapping shirts with one of his opponents.
Three days later, one of Cohen's overlapping runs and clever near-post passes contributed to Charlton's clincher as the hosts edged past the splendid, if rather enigmatic Portugal
in the semi finals.
In the final against West Germany
, Cohen won his 30th cap as vice-captain and was his usual immaculate self, though in a game full of incident and iconic individual contributions, his only notable moment of the match was managing to block the vicious last minute free kick from Lothar Emmerich
which subsequently found its way across the England six-yard box for Wolfgang Weber
to stroke home the late equaliser which forced extra-time. England ultimately won 4–2.
Cohen played seven of the next eight internationals before Ramsey decided to utilise some younger full backs in England's campaign for the 1968 European Championships. Cohen's 37th and final England appearance came in a 2–0 win over Northern Ireland
at Wembley on 22 November 1967. He didn't score for his country, though this was not unexpected for a man in his position. He was the first of England's 1966 XI to cease playing for his country.
Manchester United's
legendary winger George Best
described Cohen as "the best full back I ever played against". Alf Ramsay called Cohen: "England's greatest right back". Cohen also bears the distinction of being the only Fulham player to have won a World Cup winner's medal while at the Cottagers.
Along with his full back partner Ray Wilson, Cohen was not a player ever in the limelight, though was always ready to talk about the World Cup success whenever requested to do so. His main return to the public eye came in the 1980s when he fought and won his battle with bowel cancer, which lasted 14 years.
Financial hardships in later life forced Cohen to sell his winner's medal from the World Cup final, though his old club Fulham made sure it stayed close to his heart by paying £80,000 for it and putting it on display at Craven Cottage
. The club also named a plush section of their hospitality facilities The George Cohen Suite.
In 2000, Cohen suffered personal heartbreak when his brother Peter, a nightclub
owner and father of England
rugby union
player Ben Cohen
, was killed. Three men were acquitted of murder
and manslaughter
but jailed for violent disorder. Ben later was part of the side that won the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.
Cohen was awarded the MBE
in 2000, along with four team-mates from 1966 after a campaign from sections of the media who were surprised that the quintet had never been officially recognised for their part in England's success. The others were Ball, Wilson, Nobby Stiles
and Roger Hunt
.
to find the Greatest England XI, Cohen was given the right back spot by the public, ahead of the likes of Phil Neal
and Gary Neville
. He was one of four veterans of the 1966 team to make it.
In 2003, Cohen released his autobiography
(ISBN 1-903267-11-0). He lives in quiet retirement, though he is frequently a guest at functions around the country as well as at Craven Cottage
raising money for cancer charities.
He is sometimes noted also for funny quotes:
"He must play with thoughts of brashness and arrogance too if you like to think, you know what lads I can do anything!" But actually he could!- On Pele
"He was never in the position he received the ball, all the time I saw him play. He always arrived there. Which meant of course that he left his marker for dead."- On Johan Cryuff
We got 'soused' and 'pickled'- On a humiliating defeat to Brazil in an international friendly.
On a smaller scale, George has made appearances at the St. John's Primary School fair in Tunbridge Wells.
In 2010, Cohen criticised changes to the design of footballs following the intense criticism of the Adidas Jabulani
used at the 2010 World Cup. Cohen was quoted: "Designers have constantly tried to create more goals by using lighter and lighter balls. It was thought they would fly further and everyone loves to see a 30-yard screamer bend into the top corner. But things have gone too far."
ancestry. His nephew Ben Cohen is an English rugby player. He has been married to his wife Daphne since 1962 have two sons, Anthony and Andrew, as well as five grandchildren.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 22 October 1939, Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) was the right back for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in the side which won the 1966 World Cup. He is the uncle of Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
World Cup winner, Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen (rugby player)
Benjamin Christopher "Ben" Cohen, MBE is a former England rugby union international. He began his professional career with Northampton Saints in 1996; in 2007 he moved to France to represent Brive before returning to England two years later to join Sale Sharks...
.
Football career
Cohen spent his whole playing career at FulhamFulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
where he proved his worth as a committed and strong full back, especially adept at supporting wingers with overlapping runs.
He joined Fulham professionally in 1956 and remained a dependable performer for 13 years thereafter, though his chances at international level seemed to be restricted to a handful of caps at under 23 level, mainly due to the presence of Blackpool's
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
Jimmy Armfield
Jimmy Armfield
James Christopher "Jimmy" Armfield, CBE, DL is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at Blackpool, usually at right back...
, who was the regular incumbent at No.2 and played in the 1962 World Cup in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
1966 World Cup
In April 1964, however, Armfield won his 41st cap in an embarrassing defeat against ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. England coach Alf Ramsey
Alf Ramsey
Sir Alfred Ernest "Alf" Ramsey was an English footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the 1966 World Cup with England on 30 July 1966...
duly tried out Cohen for his international debut a month later in a 2–1 win over Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
. With Armfield unfortunately suffering an injury – timed appallingly with the World Cup imminent – Cohen went on to play in 21 of the next 23 internationals. Armfield managed two more caps in preparation for the 1966 tournament after regaining his fitness, but Cohen was Ramsey's first choice by the time the competition, which England was hosting, got underway.
Cohen was an immaculate performer in Ramsey's revolutionary team which played without conventional wide men, allowing for extra strength in midfield and relying on young, stamina-based players like Martin Peters
Martin Peters
Martin Stanford Peters, MBE is a former football player and member of the victorious England team which won the 1966 World Cup as well as playing in the 1970 FIFA World Cup....
and Alan Ball
Alan Ball (footballer)
Alan James Ball, Jr., MBE was a professional English footballer and football club manager.He was the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and played for various clubs, scoring more than 180 league goals in a career spanning 22 years...
to drift from centre to flank and back again as required. When these players were occupied in more central positions or chasing high up the flank and needing support, this was where attacking full backs like Cohen proved their extra worth.
As England got through a group containing Uruguay, Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, Cohen's unfussy performances were rightly seen as just as vital as the attention-grabbing displays from the likes of Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
. Cohen maintained his form as England got past a thuggish Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
in the last eight, and was unwittingly featured in one of the more memorable photographs of the tournament in the immediate aftermath of the game – Ramsey, livid at the Argentinians' violent approach (he later memorably called them "animals" in a post-match interview), ran to Cohen in order to prevent him swapping shirts with one of his opponents.
Three days later, one of Cohen's overlapping runs and clever near-post passes contributed to Charlton's clincher as the hosts edged past the splendid, if rather enigmatic Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in the semi finals.
In the final against West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, Cohen won his 30th cap as vice-captain and was his usual immaculate self, though in a game full of incident and iconic individual contributions, his only notable moment of the match was managing to block the vicious last minute free kick from Lothar Emmerich
Lothar Emmerich
Lothar Emmerich was a German football player. He was born in Dortmund-Dorstfeld and died in Hemer.-Honours:* 1965 German Cup winner...
which subsequently found its way across the England six-yard box for Wolfgang Weber
Wolfgang Weber
Wolfgang Weber was a footballer best remembered for scoring the last-minute equaliser for West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final....
to stroke home the late equaliser which forced extra-time. England ultimately won 4–2.
Cohen played seven of the next eight internationals before Ramsey decided to utilise some younger full backs in England's campaign for the 1968 European Championships. Cohen's 37th and final England appearance came in a 2–0 win over Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
at Wembley on 22 November 1967. He didn't score for his country, though this was not unexpected for a man in his position. He was the first of England's 1966 XI to cease playing for his country.
Later life
Cohen served Fulham until 1969, not winning any honours though he did suffer the ignominy of relegation in 1968. He ended his career with 459 appearances for the club, a figure surpassed by only four other players in Fulham's history. It would have been more but for the injury which forced his retirement before his 30th birthday. Cohen coached the Fulham youth team and the England under 23 team for a time, and also managed non-league outfit Tonbridge.Manchester United's
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
legendary winger George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
described Cohen as "the best full back I ever played against". Alf Ramsay called Cohen: "England's greatest right back". Cohen also bears the distinction of being the only Fulham player to have won a World Cup winner's medal while at the Cottagers.
Along with his full back partner Ray Wilson, Cohen was not a player ever in the limelight, though was always ready to talk about the World Cup success whenever requested to do so. His main return to the public eye came in the 1980s when he fought and won his battle with bowel cancer, which lasted 14 years.
Financial hardships in later life forced Cohen to sell his winner's medal from the World Cup final, though his old club Fulham made sure it stayed close to his heart by paying £80,000 for it and putting it on display at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
. The club also named a plush section of their hospitality facilities The George Cohen Suite.
In 2000, Cohen suffered personal heartbreak when his brother Peter, a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
owner and father of England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen (rugby player)
Benjamin Christopher "Ben" Cohen, MBE is a former England rugby union international. He began his professional career with Northampton Saints in 1996; in 2007 he moved to France to represent Brive before returning to England two years later to join Sale Sharks...
, was killed. Three men were acquitted of murder
Murder in English law
Murder is an offence under the common law of England and Wales. It is considered the most serious form of homicide, in which one person kills another either intending to cause death or intending to cause serious injury .-Actus reus:The definition of the actus reus Murder is an offence under the...
and manslaughter
Manslaughter in English law
In the English law of homicide, manslaughter is a less serious offence than murder, the differential being between levels of fault based on the mens rea . In England and Wales, the usual practice is to prefer a charge of murder, with the judge or defence able to introduce manslaughter as an option...
but jailed for violent disorder. Ben later was part of the side that won the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.
Cohen was awarded the MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in 2000, along with four team-mates from 1966 after a campaign from sections of the media who were surprised that the quintet had never been officially recognised for their part in England's success. The others were Ball, Wilson, Nobby Stiles
Nobby Stiles
Norbert "Nobby" Peter Stiles MBE is a retired English footballer. He was born in Collyhurst, Manchester.Stiles played for England for five years, winning 28 caps and scoring 1 goal. He played every minute of England's victorious 1966 FIFA World Cup campaign...
and Roger Hunt
Roger Hunt
Roger Hunt, MBE is an English former footballer. He was a member of the England team which won the 1966 World Cup.-Club career:...
.
Public exposure and popularity
In a documentary on Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
to find the Greatest England XI, Cohen was given the right back spot by the public, ahead of the likes of Phil Neal
Phil Neal
Philip George "Phil" Neal is a former footballer who was, at one time, the most successful player in English football history. He played for Liverpool 650 times over an eleven year period and is the only player to have appeared in the first five of their European Cup finals, winning four of them...
and Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
. He was one of four veterans of the 1966 team to make it.
In 2003, Cohen released his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
(ISBN 1-903267-11-0). He lives in quiet retirement, though he is frequently a guest at functions around the country as well as at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
raising money for cancer charities.
He is sometimes noted also for funny quotes:
"He must play with thoughts of brashness and arrogance too if you like to think, you know what lads I can do anything!" But actually he could!- On Pele
"He was never in the position he received the ball, all the time I saw him play. He always arrived there. Which meant of course that he left his marker for dead."- On Johan Cryuff
We got 'soused' and 'pickled'- On a humiliating defeat to Brazil in an international friendly.
On a smaller scale, George has made appearances at the St. John's Primary School fair in Tunbridge Wells.
In 2010, Cohen criticised changes to the design of footballs following the intense criticism of the Adidas Jabulani
Adidas Jabulani
The Jabulani is an Association football ball manufactured by Adidas. It was the official match ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.The ball is made from eight spherically molded panels and has a textured surface intended to improve aerodynamics...
used at the 2010 World Cup. Cohen was quoted: "Designers have constantly tried to create more goals by using lighter and lighter balls. It was thought they would fly further and everyone loves to see a 30-yard screamer bend into the top corner. But things have gone too far."
Personal life
Cohen is of part JewishJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
ancestry. His nephew Ben Cohen is an English rugby player. He has been married to his wife Daphne since 1962 have two sons, Anthony and Andrew, as well as five grandchildren.
See also
- List of select Jewish football (association; soccer) players