As both a player and then as a manager, Glenn Hoddle was an important figure in British football for a number of decades. He was a boyhood Tottenham Hotspur fan and spent time in the academy, joining as a 12-year-old, before making his debut five years later.
At Spurs, the English midfielder won two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup – becoming a club legend – before then going on to win the league in France with Monaco. He later spent spells at Swindon Town and Chelsea, which led him into the world of management.
As a coach, he failed to ever win a major trophy but did get to manage England before then taking over at Tottenham between 2001 and 2003. Despite managing the club he'd supported as a youngster, this period in north London delivered more frustration than joy.
Hoddle Felt 'Disgruntled' at Tottenham
Speaking to The Guardian in 2021, Hoddle spoke about how he was unable to form any sort of relationship with the majority owner Joe Lewis, and a lack of investment left him unable to build a side capable of winning the Premier League.
The former Tottenham coach explained how his time at Spurs is actually one of his 'big regrets.' When asked if he'd ever even met former owner Lewis, he said:
“No. I’ve never met Joe Lewis. Never even had a phone call. Never had a conversation with him and Spurs were always my club. That was the happiest I should have been but it was probably the most disgruntled I felt – at Tottenham.
"It was such a shame because I wanted it so much. I wanted to build a side to win the league like we did at Monaco. That was one of my big regrets but the money wasn’t there.”
Having won major honours with Tottenham as a player, Hoddle wasn't able to bring more success to the club as a manager. They did actually reach the League Cup final in 2002, but lost 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers.
In his second season in charge, things started brightly with Hoddle named Manager of the Month for August, with Spurs top of the league. However, form steadily dwindled, and they ended the 2002/03 campaign in 10th place. Hoddle then lasted until just September the following season, having picked up only four points from the club's opening six league games.
Hoddle Was 'Hurt' as Spurs Denied Him Two Star Striker Signings
Perhaps things could have gone better had the club been a little more proactive in the transfer market. Indeed, Hoddle revealed that he could have bought both Fernando Morientes from Real Madrid and Samuel Eto’o from Mallorca for just £12m in 2003, but Lewis and Daniel Levy were too slow in reacting to the opportunity. He recalled:
“That hurt me big time."
Morientes would end up in England, but joined Liverpool instead, later winning both the FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Eto’o would join Barcelona and become a club icon with three La Liga titles and two Champions League triumphs, while also winning more major honours in Italy with Inter Milan.
The Cameroonian striker eventually came to England, enjoying a short spell each at both Chelsea and Everton towards the end of his career.