Soccer: Into the west?

By JAMIE REEVES

Hoddle for West Bromwich Albion, screamed the headlines. "There's a general consensus among the fans they would like him at the helm," said John Homer, chairman of the Baggies' supporters club. It's not like that at Southampton, where rumours of Glen Hoddle's imminent return to the Saints were enough to spark public demonstrations by incensed fans. So why does the Hod evoke such strong feelings?

The last time Glenn Hoddle spoke to me, in fact the only time he spoke to me, was April 28, 1984. I was standing at the bar with my wife, after winning the FA Vase final at Wembley Stadium with Stansted Town, hoping someone would buy me a drink, when Hod approached. "Well played today, Big Man, I thought you were Man of the Match." I looked at my wife, worried she may have missed it. "Thanks very much, Glenn," I mumbled, "yeah, I really enjoyed it.'

Barry Simpson, the captain, then approached the bar. "Hey, Simmo," said the golden one, "well played today, I thought you were Man of the Match." Then our centre-half, Steve Cooper, ambled up. "Coops, I thought you were brilliant today, definitely Man of the Match."

Hod said pretty much the same thing to just about everyone in the team and I never really understood why.

That's Glenn Hoddle - great misunderstood genius or genius who generates great misunderstanding? His management record probably suggests the latter. In playing terms, he was the most gifted of his generation - his first touch, vision, passing ability and range of shooting was unsurpassed. Injury forced him into semi-retirement and he took up management with lowly Swindon Town at 33. He transformed the Robins into a good team, winning the promotional play-offs 4-3 against Leicester City.

Chelsea chairman, Ken Bates, talked him into joining him in West London. After three seasons of moderate success, at least in cup competitions, the England job was his, even though questions about his management style were emerging: "My experience of playing under him is similar to that of many others; grown men feel they are treated as children."[Tony Cascarino].

But, at 38, Hod had landed the big one. The 1998 World Cup in France is remembered for the match against Argentina: Owen's wonder goal, Beckham's sacking, Sol Campbell's disallowed header and, of course, the agony of David Batty in another penalty shoot-out defeat - and Hod's eccentricities.

Hod humiliated a young David Beckham because he couldn't execute a free-kick that Hoddle himself had demonstrated with effortless ease. He also informed a disbelieving world that Michael Owen was "not a natural goal-scorer". None of this would have emerged if Hod had not, ill-advisedly, decided to publish his 'World Cup Diaries' in the immediate aftermath of the tournament.

For the World Cup, he'd drafted in a barmaid-turned-faith healer, Eileen Drewery. Most of the players - who were instructed to let Drewery perform the laying-on of hands to rev up their footballing aura and performance - treated her as a joke. Arsenal's Paul Merson sat down in her chair for the laying on of the hands and promptly asked for "a little off the back and sides, please".

The axe finally fell four days after a remarkably candid interview with The Times, in which Hod spoke about his spiritual beliefs, arguing that disabled people were being punished for sins committed in previous incarnations, creating public outrage.

Southampton revived his managerial career. "Hoddle is a great coach, but I know he irritated some of the senior players by the way he treated them" (James Beattie). Hod deserted the Saints mid-season, when the call came from his beloved Spurs.

Despite some initial success in the Worthington Cup, things went poorly. 'No one at Tottenham would shed a single tear if Glenn Hoddle was sacked tomorrow. The dressing room is not together and there is no team spirit. He has absolutely no man-management skills." [Tim Sherwood]. The sack came eventually on September 21 last year.

So what can Glenn bring to the Baggies who are currently fighting relegation? Surprisingly, for such a naturally gifted player, he's excellent at organising defences, so they should stop shipping goals. Will that be enough to keep West Brom in the top flight and, if it is, will he stay to see the job through?

It's a $2.7 million-a-year 'act of faith' on the part of the Baggies' board, but history suggests not.