Anyone who knows their history, knows that Howard Kendall was a great man. Everton fans know it in particular, and it seems, so do some Liverpool fans.
That’s at least if Sammy Lee is anyone to go by, as he praises a man he knew well [to El Correo today.](https://www.elcorreo.com/deportes/futbol/sammy-lee-leyenda-red-athletic-liverpool-unicos-20251007144150-nt_amp.html)
The newspaper have an interview with the Liverpool legend, looking back on his time at Anfield and everything else. That includes a brief mention for Everton icon Howard Kendall.
He was Everton manager from 1981 to 1987, building a team that was considered one of the finest of the whole decade. That team was highly successful under him too, winning two league titles, the FA Cup, the Charity Shield and the European Cup Winners Cup.
Everton legend described as “great coach, great person”
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Kendall left in 1987 as a result of the European ban on English clubs and took up the job at Athletic Club in Spain. That echoed a trend of English talent making similar moves because of the ban.
His time in Bilbao was not a great success, largely thanks to limitations on the players he could sign for the Basque club. They only sign Basque players. He did, though, lead them to fourth and the UEFA Cup.
Despite that he is well thought of at the club, and Lee has nothing but positives to say, despite his Liverpool connections.
_“I knew him very well. He was a great coach, but above all, a great person,”_ he said.
_“Howard loved life, food, wine, the people. That’s why he connected so well with the Basque Country. He liked being with people, just like Michael (Robinson), just like me. We came from a similar culture: that of the north, that of work, that of enjoying the simple things.”_
Sammy Lee and Michael Robertson played for Osasuna, the latter going on to become a huge figure in Spanish football media.