Hoddle = GOON

[CAFC Matt]

PARIS (Reuters) - Former England manager Glenn Hoddle has officially asked to be considered as the new France national coach after the departure of Jacques Santini, the French Football Federation (FFF) says.

"We have just received today (Tuesday) a fax from Glenn Hoddle," a spokesman told Reuters. "Chairman Claude Simonet will read it tomorrow (Wednesday) as he is not available today due to appointments outside Paris."

France are looking for a new national coach after Santini left to take over at English premier league club Tottenham Hotspur -- the club where Hoddle made his name as a player.

Hoddle, England coach from 1996-99, has been out of work since being sacked as Tottenham manager last September following a poor run of results.

During his playing career, in which he won 53 England caps, Hoddle had a successful stint in France with Monaco, winning the French title in 1988 under current Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Hoddle guided England to the 1998 World Cup finals in France where they lost in the second round to Argentina on penalties. He was fired the following year after making controversial remarks about disabled people.

The 46-year-old faces competition from former France internationals Laurent Blanc and Jean Tigana.

The FFF's decision is expected on Friday.

The only foreigner to coach France's national team was Romanian Stefan Kovacs from 1973 to 1975.

From yahoo Sort

You just got to laugh really

 

[SK1NT]

gotta be a joke

 

[aftershavedave]

it's not a joke, and he's not been given a second interview.

the look on my french inlaw's face on sunday afternoon when i broke the news to him that hoddle was being interviewed was a picture....he looked near to tears!

 

[REDLAND]

They have some of the worlds best players, they need someone that can man manage all those egos as well.

That just aint Hoddle,

 

[zefarelly]

there is absolutely no way in a million years that the French would allow an Englishman to manage their national football team

even though the fact is that Hoddle is a total freaking clown !

 

[Tooting Gull]

I haven't got a lot of time for Hoddle as a bloke, and clearly as a man-manager he's got the personal touch of Himmler - but he's a good coach, and there have been far worse England bosses.

I don't really understand the attitude of after's in-laws about the bloke either. I lived in France when Hoddle was playing for Monaco, it was at a time when Bobby Robson wasn't picking him for England and he was playing superbly, sheer class every week scoring ridiculous goals for fun in the French league.

L'Equipe couldn't understand why the England team wasn't totally built round him, let alone why he sometimes wasn't getting in squads.

 

[aftershavedave]

I don't really understand the attitude of after's in-laws about the bloke either. I lived in France when Hoddle was playing for Monaco, it was at a time when Bobby Robson wasn't picking him for England and he was playing superbly, sheer class every week scoring ridiculous goals for fun in the French league.

i'd say he knew nothing of football toots, but that wouldn't be quite true as he works for the french football federation! i'd put his reaction down to having an englishman in charge rather his actual ability.....

 

[Man of Harveys]

"Oui, tout les handicapes sont comme ca parce qu'ils ont fait du mal dans un vie plut tot."

 

[crasher]

Hoddle's a berk, no doubt about it, but I think the day is coming when the "bigger" nations will follow us and start appointing foreign coaches.

(Germany may have to think about it right away if Rehagel won't leave Greece.)

The fact is national football is becoming much more like club football - which means get the best coach available, doesn't matter where he's from.

Hoddle will probably end up at Malta or somewhere like that.

 

[spidey]

They have some of the worlds best players, they need someone that can man manage all those egos as well.

That just aint Hoddle,

He can't even manage his own ego!

 

[Exiled in Exeter]

It would be very amusing if Hoddle did get the job although that seems near impossible to comprehend.

Hoddle’s star has fallen so low since the England days that when Sturrock went to Southampton, the Plymouth fans on the local West Country news replied to the question “who do you want as new manager?” by saying ‘anyone but Hoddle’ before going on to give a random name of someone they did want.