Return of the prodigal son? (Tottenham Hotspur F.C.)

Member Name: GroundZero

Product:	Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Date:	28/03/01 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good playing career...

Disadvantages: ...but still achieved nothing as a manager, outspoken, poor loyalty, not a favourite with his players

So, after weeks of speculation, Glenn Hoddle has decided to accept the poisoned chalice and return to White Hart Lane, leaving Southampton without a manager at a crucial stage in the season. Although I am not a fan of either Southampton or Spurs, I have serious misgivings about Hoddle’s move.

Glenn Hoddle’s playing career may have been impressive, but his time as a manager has been less successful. After cutting his teeth in management with Swindon, he became player manager of Chelsea back when their current revolution was just beginning. Perhaps his most notable achievement with Chelsea was in convincing Ruud Gullit to sign for the Blues. This signing arguably set in motion Chelsea’s current obsession with signing exclusively foreign players (not to mention managers!).

When Terry Venables resigned as England coach in order to fight a court case, Hoddle was the man called upon to fill the position. His squad was largely similar to Venables’, with no major changes. Despite getting England to the World Cup Finals in France in ’98, the team’s performances were far from impressive, and rumours of dissent within the camp started to emerge. The ruthless way that Hoddle had jettisoned Paul Gascoigne from the squad gained a lot of attention, as did Hoddle’s unfathomable criticism of David Beckham. One of the biggest problems seemed to be that Hoddle’s ego meant he was incapable of accepting when he had made mistakes.

Not long after the World Cup, Hoddle was sacked by the FA for some extremely ill considered remarks he made in a newspaper interview regarding the disabled. This quite rightly attracted almost universal condemnation, and the FA were forced into axing him.

Hoddle’s managerial career was revived when Dave Jones, the Southampton manager was “rested” from his job, in order to fight (successfully) against child abuse allegations. Hoddle was brought in as t
he man to take Southampton forward. The team showed definite signs of progress, and Hoddle appeared to be building for the future.

When George Graham was sacked as manager of Spurs a few weeks ago, the first name on the list to replace him was Hoddle’s. ENIC, the company that owns Spurs were clearly keen to get rid of Graham at the first possible opportunity. He had never been popular with the Spurs fans, who never forgave him his past as a manager of Spurs great rivals, Arsenal.

For some reason, most Spurs fans seem to think their club is still one of the superpowers of the English game, despite the fact they have won nothing of note for years. Graham had steadied the ship after Gerry Francis and the hapless Christian Gross had done their best to get Spurs relegated. He had taken Spurs to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, and an intriguing tie against his former employers.

ENIC were clearly not impressed, however, and thus Hoddle steps into the breach. He would be well advised to take note of the way that Graham was ruthlessly despatched, for the same fate awaits him unless he can bring some degree of success back to White Hart Lane.

One of his first tasks will be sorting out the futures of some of the club’s key players, most notably Sol Campbell, whose contract expires in the summer. Rumours persist that he will move on, so Hoddle has his work cut out if he is to convince Campbell to stay. He is just the sort of player that Hoddle requires to build a team around.

I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Hoddle raid Southampton for a number of players, possibly including Marian Pahars, Dean Richards and James Beattie. Whether he will be given the financial backing that Graham was never allowed remains to be seen.

I think the Spurs fans may soon realise the truth in the old saying that you should be careful what you wish for. I have always believed that George Graham is one of the best manager
s around, and Hoddle still has a lot to prove. Whether he will be allowed the time by ENIC and the fans will be interesting to see. Like another prodigal son, if things go wrong, don’t be too surprised to see the press and fans crucify him.

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