Hoddle: I’ll keep the seat warm

Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2012 by The Sun

Hoddle: I’ll keep the seat warm
UNFINISHED BUSINESS ... Glenn Hoddle would love to take England reins again

GLENN HODDLE last night told the FA: I'll keep Harry Redknapp's England seat warm until after the Euros.

Wembley bigwigs looking for the next Three Lions coach fear they may not be able to land their No 1 target Redknapp until AFTER the Euro 2012 finals this summer.

And after caretaker Stuart Pearce admitted he does not have enough experience for the job, former boss Hoddle says he would be willing to return to lead England in the Ukraine and Poland if Tottenham chief 'Arry could not be appointed in time.

Hoddle managed England from 1996 to 1999, including the World Cup '98 in France.

He said: "There are not many people who have experience of taking a team to a tournament.

"It would be nice, it would be lovely to do that again, it really would.

"My win percentages for England are there, you can't take those away.

"I took us to a World Cup and, at 54, I'm still young enough. There are not many English people that have experienced that job — and I have."

Hoddle won 61 per cent of his matches in charge of England — a win rate bettered only by Sir Alf Ramsey and Fabio Capello.

He was axed in 1999 for comments he made about the disabled.

Speaking at the launch of the Elite Legends Cup, he admitted: "There is a frustration within me because winning 61 per cent of football matches is what it should have been about but it wasn't. It was ridiculous.

"I am not going down that road again but it was totally out of order.

"Yes there is a bit of unfinished business. But whether I would ever get a chance to put that part of the jigsaw in, who knows?"

Hoddle believes Redknapp will take the England job when the FA come calling.

He said: "Harry, I think, will take it. He'll want to manage his country. He'll think back to the days when he was at Bournemouth and the things he has done since.

"Now he is being offered the chance to manage his country and have the best players — the very best players — in his hands.

"It's the best job in the world — the toughest job but the best job."