Football's Coming Home: How England Won The 1966 World Cup | Part One | It Was What It Was

In this episode of 'It Was What It Was,' hosts Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson begin a four-part series commemorating England's 1966 World Cup triumph, focusing on manager Sir Alf Ramsey. They reminisce about the journey leading to the World Cup, highlighting Ramsey's legacy and innovative approach to football. They delve into Ramsey's early managerial decisions, emphasizing his demand for autonomy over team selection and modernizing tactics compared to the outdated methods of his predecessor Walter Winterbottom.

The conversations explore the challenges Ramsey faced with a team that had a historically poor World Cup record and the necessity of changing player dynamics, such as the controversial decision to drop star player Jimmy Greaves. Discussions around England's gradual tactical evolutions reflect the shifts occurring in football at the time, linking Ramsey's methodologies with broader cultural trends. The hosts also touch on Ramsey's management style, characterized by strict discipline and a lack of emotional expressiveness, and how these traits influenced player morale.

As the episode unfolds, they detail key moments including the turbulent start to Ramsey’s tenure, insightful lessons learned during international competitions, and the eventual successful integration of new team players like Jack Charlton and Nobby Styles into the squad, which contributed to building a team capable of winning the World Cup.