Happy birthday Mr. Hoddle!

[parklane1]

I think what made him such a fantastic player is what hampered his management. It was so natural to him he couldn't understand why no one else got it. And then how do explain to someone something you without thinking?

I agree, many of the real great players have not done well once they have gone into being managers.

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

Check out the state of the pitches too. What would he do in the modern game with a decent surface to play on. I really believe, that not basing the side around him cost England at least one World Cup.

 

[90291Spur]

The most natural footballer this world has seen. Others may have got as good or better through hard work but that man just had it. A bit like Berbatov in that sense but 100x as good!

When you take into account the pitches, balls, boots, opposition, rules etc. he'd have to be in the running for best in the world if he was playing now.

And he was truly one of our own.

 

[SpursNorway]

I'm getting old, but I was not old enough to go to England watcing him live at WHL. After watching Steffs video, it makes me even more sad it never happened. Watching him on telly in Norway was brilliant, but it will never be the same. Looking at him, he was at least a class above everyone else on the pitch, just brilliant to watch.
Happy B, Glenn, you were the major reason I became a member of this great family.

 

[inkpenspur]

Yes.
I had the pleasure of being at Vicarage Road that day; gobsmacked. Never seen that Monaco goal before, my word, what a peach! Such a fantastic player.

Me too... even if i was in the Watford Family enclosure at the time... I was right behind the chip into the far corner... brilliant goal

 

[Robspur12]

You will not spend 16 minutes more constructively today. Alarming when I look back and realize how many of these games I was at and how much we took him for granted. I can honestly say I teared up watching this...that final goal against Oxford, jesus fudgeing christ!

Steff perhaps you should forward the compilation on to the poster called "Neymar"who claimed Lampard and Gerrard are better footballers than Glenn. Tbh for me that argument summed up the problem with the England team in my life time, they have favoured athletes and work horses over footballers. Can you imagine how big Glenn would have been if he had played for a South American giant such as Brazil or Argentina? Look at the adulation that Suarez receives in Uraguay. It has always bugged me that most England fans never appreciated the talent that Glenn had. He should have been one of the international greats like Charlton, Banks and Hurst. Instead we lauded Brian Fokking Robson. The modern English footballers seem so ordinary in comparison. Funnily enough Glenn was appreciated more by fans from other countries, and players as different as Johan Cruyff, Roy Keane and Dennis Berkamp. Anyway rant over.

 

[parklane1]

Steff perhaps you should forward the compilation on to the poster called "Neymar"who claimed Lampard and Gerrard are better footballers than Glenn. Tbh for me that argument summed up the problem with the England team in my life time, they have favoured athletes and work horses over footballers. Can you imagine how big Glenn would have been if he had played for a South American giant such as Brazil or Argentina? Look at the adulation that Suarez receives in Uraguay. It has always bugged me that most England fans never appreciated the talent that Glenn had. He should have been one of the international greats like Charlton, Banks and Hurst. Instead we lauded Brian Fokking Robson. The modern English footballers seem so ordinary in comparison. Funnily enough Glenn was appreciated more by fans from other countries, and players as different as Johan Cruyff, Roy Keane and Dennis Berkamp. Anyway rant over.

Great post and I could not agree more especially the bit about Capt Marvel.

 

[Craig_J]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

 

[billyiddo]

I can't help but think that's a slight over reaction

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

wooo there, he was that good as a player. But also his odd comments came from a misguided religious view, there are lots of people around these days with slightly misguided religious views.

Calling him scum of the earth is well over the limit and not just because he played for spurs but because he has done nothing to warrant that.

 

[milo]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

They may well be flimflam but his views on reincarnation are shared with a handful of major religions

 

[scaramanga]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

They may well be hogwash but his views on reincarnation are shared with a handful of major religions

Every religion I've encountered has some fairly unsavoury beliefs involved. Hardly surprising seeing as they were all invented by power-hungry men living in unenlightened times.

In that sense, gHod's no better or worse than billions of others. If you have that defective element in your thought process that makes you vulnerable to believing in religions, then you almost certainly have, or tolerate, some fairly unedify opinions.

 

[Robspur12]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

Mate what he actually said was this (taken from the Guardian)

'I have got an inner belief and an inner faith with GHod. I do believe spiritually we have to progress because we've been here before. The physical body is just an overcoat for your spirit. At death you take the overcoat off and your spirit will go on to another life in a spirit dimension.

'I think we make mistakes when we are down here and our spirit has to come back and learn. That's why there is an injustice in the world. Why there's certain people born into the world with terrible physical problems and why there's a family who has got everything right, physically and mentally.'

Not sure that warrants "scum of the earth" status even if I don't agree with it. It is a religious view and like all religions there are teachings which we agree and those we disagree with. He's not suggesting wholesale euthanasia of disabled people or even discrimination against them. Incidentally after his last management job rather than continue on the lucrative managerial circuit he chose to run an academy in Spain to give footballers who had been rejected, a second chance. I think that makes him a decent bloke tbh with silly religious views.

I loved Glenn for his artistry, his footballing skill, and his passion for his team, all of which stoked a seven year old's love of football and Spurs.

 

[alekaras]

He's the reason I became a Spurs fan. Such class on the pitch. If he played today, though, I'm wondering if the players around him would "get" him and make three runs that made his passing so sublime.

 

[thfcsteff]

Me too... even if i was in the Watford Family enclosure at the time... I was right behind the chip into the far corner... brilliant goal

I still remember watching that ball spin and drop over Sherwood's head...an arc of absolute beauty. That turn...I saw so many of his goals, but the one I wish I'd been there for was the Oxford one. I think of all the moments I have missed, that is the one I would choose to see if I could go back in time for one. A sublime goal at our house from our son. And the occasion.

 

[thfcsteff]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

First of all, and I say this being not a 'religious' man, all religions I know of carry some unsavory 'concepts' and ideas. Secondly, it is worth reading the whole interview. Thirdly, he has long done much work for disabled charities which he chose not to make public. If I felt he was a hateful man then I would agree with you. But it is clear to me that he is far, far from that. 'Scum of the earth'? I would think it's worth reading and learning a bit more about him before you throw that one out there mate...

 

[parklane1]

Blimey, I knew Hoddle was highly regarded but not at this level. I grew up in the 00's and my memory of him has always been a very average manager, whom I wouldn't tinkle on if he was on fire for the comments he made about disabled people.

But seems being the scum of the earth doesn't matter, so long as they've worn some lilywhite on their chest.

Others above have answered you hysterical outburst so all I would say is that its rubbish.

 

[parklane1]

He's the reason I became a Spurs fan. Such class on the pitch. If he played today, though, I'm wondering if the players around him would "get" him and make three runs that made his passing so sublime.

I am sure they would quickly learn, taking this a bit off topic but I remember when Gilly first came to our club we had the same scenario. It was his first game ( against Everton if I remember) and he was flicking the ball on with his head into space every time it was put to him in the air, there were a few around me who were saying " he can not even head a ball to teammates" what a waste of money. (yes we had idiots in them day as well ).

I did try and suggest he was hoping that his teammates would be running into that space, it was not long before the likes of Jimmy and Chivers picked up on what he was doing and the rest as they say is history. For my money Gilly was the best header of a ball we have had.

 

[Craig_J]

wooo there, he was that good as a player. But also his odd comments came from a misguided religious view, there are lots of people around these days with slightly misguided religious views.

Calling him scum of the earth is well over the limit and not just because he played for spurs but because he has done nothing to warrant that.

I don't see why it matters that it's his religious belief? If they're misguided and wrong then that is his problem. No one else is responsible for that. Same as no one else is responsible for what he said.

If Jack Wheelchair was to come out and say what he said tomorrow no one on here would defend him, no one would say "It's not him it's his religion!" the place would be labeling him as the w**ker he would have showed himself up to be.

Perhaps calling Hoddle scum of the earth is over the top but a condescending uneducated w***ker he most certainly is. If you don't believe me, tell any disabled person what Hoddle said and see if they find it acceptable. As I said, just because he was a great Spurs player shouldn't make him immune to criticism.

I'm sure all the people defending him are the ones who have seen him play and therefore have bias towards him.

 

[billyiddo]

I honestly don't understand the fuss with what he said and thought it was blown WAY out of proportion - and Im sure I'd say the se no matter who said it (I never saw Hoddle play btw) personally i see it as an interesting theory (not sure if that's the right word) not something to get bent out of shape over