Never was the ‘Hoddle debate’ more intense nor more fractious than in the context of his relationship with the English national side. Away from the more protective environment of White Hart Lane, service with England both as a player and manager exposed Hoddle to scrutiny that was at best rigorous and at worst gratuitously vicious.
Adam Powley and Martin Cloake and are quite rightly among other things highly respected authors. This is another reason to appreciate their literary efforts. The pair have teamed up yet again to produce a series of ebooks called Sports Shots. And this is to let you know about the Glenda Hoddle one!
By the summer of 1986, when Hoddle was 28 and at his peak, the England midfield had been built around the energy and drive of Bryan Robson. The arguments over whether Hoddle’s place in the national side was merited or not should have been over. Had he made enough appearances, supporters or detractors would have been able to judge whether he was a success with England. The simple truth is he didn’t play enough for such a judgement to be made.
Hoddle was again the choice of many to lead the midfield, but Ron Greenwood’s successor Bobby Robson appeared to share the same reluctance. Fondly remembered as a great romantic of the game, Robson had no indulgent sentimentality for Hoddle and, under intense pressure not to lose games, he favoured the industry of Bryan Robson and Ray Wilkins.
The Hoddle-England conundrum was never better exposed than in the disastrous European Championships finals of 1988. England were in a tough group but that could not excuse a dreadful display. Reduced to the role of stand-in for a hopelessly out-of-his depth Neil Webb, Hoddle finally made an impact in the match against the eventual winners Holland. He struck a post but thereafter was sidelined as the Dutch exploited some comical English defending.
It was the familiar story of English tactical and technical weakness, but instead of the culprits paying the price – players such as Tony Adams who were most glaringly bereft of the necessary technique and positional acumen – it was Hoddle who became one of the fall guys. He played once more in another humiliation against Russia and at 31 never featured for England again. He had played 53 games and scored a paltry eight goals.
Bryan Robson, by contrast, despite his recurring injuries, finished with 90 caps and, operating from a position in which he was encouraged to get forward, scored 26 times.
It’s not that Robson was not effective for England, nor that he was undeniably a great player, but if ever there was a glaring illustration of the value English football placed on its reservoir of talent, those contrasting statistics tell a revealing story.
Remarkably, Bobby Robson survived the post 1988 inquest, along with his skipper Bryan. The pair were to finally end their England days in the 1990 World Cup; Bobby with some kind of fortuitous redemption and glorious failure, Bryan yet again succumbing to injury. The only marvel about Captain Marvel by this stage was that he had lasted as long to be considered worthy of inclusion.
And by then, Hoddle was charming the French. Another artist who elevated football above the level of artisanship, Michel Platini, famously said of Hoddle “If he was French he would have got 150 caps.”
It summed up the differing philosophies of the Gallic and Anglo-Saxon game, but also showed that if he were to be truly appreciated, the Englishman had to find a new and more appreciative home.
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There are a number of quality players that didn’t the caps they should have done for England, along the lines of Hoddle.
Le Tissier, Bowles, Currie, Marsh, Worthington, Dozzell. (spot the odd one out).
Some new found respect for David Lammy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/18/david-lammy-out-of-ashes
Good read, very enlightening, however,I still can’t get past his posturing, but he’s an MP I guess!
Not impressed by the man. The day he was elected as an MP was the day that he finally knew he had made the transition to the middle classes.
One good thing I will say about him though, is that he epitomises the ideal that you can only be a victim of race if you accept you are a victim. If you refuse to accept this and you work at it, you can rise above it.
Well as you know, I originate from the area, my mates were Turkish, Greeks, West Indian, Indian, Irish and all in a predominately Jewish area, so much so, our school dinners were served in the local synagogue, but while these tales of woe are not unique, they seem to resonate to anyone who cannot look beyond their own personal circumstances. Many have come to these shores, do well and move upwards and onwards without state aid or intervention-As we say, you wipe your mouth, roll up your sleeves and get on with it, but that appears to be old fashioned, as it seems though many bitch about this land becoming nanny state, many more appear to want or need one? but all I care about is getting this bloody stadium built if I’m really honest, not bothered how or where (within reason) just so long as it’s not going to strongle us for a generation because of the restraints of history or poor economics!
I don’t want to sound like Norman Tebbitt, but I do get pissed off with those who will tell you that the reason that they are a failure in life is because they are victims.
As you say, you roll up your sleeves, you wipe your mouth and you get on with it. If I were a member of any these ethnic groups, I would be ashamed that anybody as stupid as BNP or EDL members could make me look inferior.
Racism is victimisation, but i get your general drift.
When someone like Johan Cruyff (easily the best player of his generation) came into the Spurs dressing room after the Feyenord match and congratulated Glenn on a sublime, almost magical display of artistry on the pitch and then asked him to swop shirts……..Well, as Del Boy says…………..Need i say more Rodney !
Well i will say a little more : I saw George Best play and for almost 3 years he was a magician, balance, ball control, ability to read the defender, the “Belfast Boy” had everything. Hoddle reminded me of George at times when the committed tackles came in but there was no showboating with Glenn.
I remember that free kick deflecting off Tommy Hutchinson to equalise against Man City in `81 (Hutch had scored the City goal).
Remember the volleyed goal he scored where the ball never touched the floor from the goalkeeper kicking it out ? Or the turn & chip over watfords keeper @ vicarage road, or in his last season with us (possibly last game) against Oxford, where he took on two converging defenders & with a feet like brucie, waltzed past both before rounding the keeper to score. One of the main reasons why i fell in love with Spurs….Hoddle= Genius.