A common theme among the obituaries for former England manager Graham Taylor who died last week aged 72, was the contrast in his huge success in managing clubs like Watford, Aston Villa and Lincoln and the despair he suffered in the England job.
Taylor's experiences were also an uncomfortable reminder of the role the hostile tabloid press played in the events which led to his resignation after England failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.
Sadly, some football fans still remember Taylor more as a failed England manager rather than an inspiring coach at club level who was also a thoroughly decent man.
His club record could hardly have been better. After taking Lincoln to the Fourth Division title, he was appointed Watford manager in 1977 by rock star chairman Elton John. The next five years was little short of a fairy tale as he took Watford form the Fourth Division to the top flight First Division. Remarkably in 1983 the unfashionable club finished second to Liverpool in the league and the following year were the FA Cup runners-up, losing 2-1 to Everton in the final.
Moving to Aston Villa in 1987 he won them promotion to the top flight in 1988 and two years later they finished runners-up (to Liverpool again) in the First Division.
It was hardly surprising that he got the England job in 1990, but little did he know what he was letting himself in for.
Maybe Taylor he should have looked closer at the circumstances which led to his predecessor Bobby Robson being booted out after a vendetta by the tabloids.
After a disastrous England performance in the 1988 Europe finals in which they lost all three group matches the tabloids dubbed Robson a "Plonker".
Robson hit back with: "As it was the media which had tipped us to win, I thought one or two of their jobs might be in jeopardy. Not likely. It was me they were after."
And eventually the media got its way as Robson was shown the door. An embittered Robson commented: "I was just a victim of the tabloid newspaper war… It was ugly and damaging."
Taylor began well enough with England, suffering only one defeat in his first 23 matches. But by the time Euro 92 arrived the team was looking unsettled. After a couple of frustrating draws England needed to beat hosts Sweden to advance. And we all know what happened next. The result prompted the infamous Sun headline, "Swedes 2 Turnips 1". Adding fuel to the flames was Taylor's controversial substitution of Gary Lineker in what was to be the striker's last match for England.
As far as The Sun was concerned the England manager would henceforth be known as "Turnip Taylor" and photos of Taylor's face superimposed on a turnip became a familiar sight in the tabloid.
Someone who was not amused was 1966 World Cup winner Jack Charlton who commented: "If a journalist wrote that about me he would have to go into hiding." Taylor attempted to lighten the mood by remarking: "I used to quite like turnips. Now my wife refuses to serve them."
As the qualifying round for the 1994 World Cup neared, the first team England were to face was Norway. Taylor wryly observed: "I'm beginning to wonder what the bloody national vegetable of Norway is." England lost the game 2-0, prompting the headline "Norse Manure".
Things did not go well in the qualifying with Taylor looking increasingly frustrated. They played well against the Netherlands but threw away a 2-0 lead to end up with a draw. Taylor remarked afterwards: "It was nearly my finest hour, but life is made up of so many nearlies."
In the middle of the qualifying there was a friendly tournament in the US. This proved disastrous for England's morale as they lost 2-0 to the US, something the English press could not accept: "Yanks 2 Planks 0" screamed The Sun.
Taylor was shattered and admitted: "There can't be a lower point for a manager, and yes, it's a national disgrace."
After failing to qualify for the World Cup the writing was on the wall and under huge pressure from the media Taylor resigned.
Pilloried by the press and mocked by the populace it was hard not to have sympathy for him during those last desperate days. He tried to put on a brave face but it was clear that the tabloid criticism hurt him. "At the moment it is a bloody horrible job," he said shortly before he quit. "I don't want it to turn me into a horrible person."
The really sad part is that anyone who knew him say he was a very pleasant and humorous person. But the England job nearly destroyed him. The tributes flowed in. Elton John said Taylor was "like a brother". Lineker called him "an outstanding manager and a thoroughly decent man." There were similar tributes from just about everyone who played under Taylor including Alan Shearer, Luther Blisset, Peter Crouch, Ashley Young and Paul Gascoigne.
Admittedly, all England mangers have faced the wrath of the media. Kevin Keegan once commented: "They say Alf Ramsey was hounded out by the press, but they were pussycats compared to now. It doesn't matter who you are, or what your character is, they're going to pick you to bits.''
It was after Taylor's humbling resignation that The Times felt bound to write an editorial on the sorry situation. The headline said it all: "Who On Earth Would Want A Job Like This?"