Hoddle Falls For Pretty Girls
American satirist P.J. O’Rouke, who is slightly to the right of Attilla the Hun, once commented that if anyone in the United States want to oust Bill Clinton that they would not need to triangulate a cross fire from a Dallas grassy knoll and book depository but rather, wheel a few pretty girls in front of him and sooner or later, he would bring about his own decline.
Of course O’Rouke is right, maybe not about Clinton (He may yet survive), but about the theory. Why resort to murder when so many public figures seem hell bent on throwing themselves on their swords and when it comes to the ritual suicide, nobody can match Glenn Hoddle
Hoddle’s decline started before the World Cup in the unimpressive warm up matches and when one of his former Chelsea charges looked to have sunk England’s hopes, the irony proved too much for the press to resist. The Argentina defeat and subsequent book revelations and poor performances were irrelevant. The hounds were after Hoddle, each game drawing them closer.
Despite the criticism of his every decision Glenn was in no danger of losing his job. The FA never dispose of a manager willingly during a campaign. Approaching the France game it seemed like Hoddle would enjoy at least another year in charge, until his comments on disability and reincarnation that was.
Hoddle’s position is now untenable. He must resign and worst of all, he knows he brought this about himself.
Understanding that Hoddle would keep his job, and needing a story to boost Sun and Times sales, one cunning reporter, obviously an aficionado of O’Rouke presented Hoddle with his "pretty girls". Why ask the England manager what he thinks about reincarnation? I do not remember Graham Taylor’s views on this subject entering the public domain, nor Sir Alf’s. Indeed it can hardly be argued that the public interest is served by this knowledge.
The only reason to ask the question is because you know the answer and like Bill and Monica, Glenn could not resist expanding his beliefs, enough rope to see Glenn swing. If Glenn had any allies in the Press one of them would have taken his aside and had a word in his ear about his public appearance, after all, media buddy George Graham had his hand in the till at Arsenal and was excused by the Express’ James Lawson because "His Father was unemployed" but Glenn had no allies and, after his comments, he has few friends.
Friends are what Hoddle needed. He would have gained them with better performances in seemingly unimportant friendlies like the pre-World Cup Saudi Arabia draw but did not and, as opinion rounded against him, one potential friend became an enemy and found a way to get rid of him.
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