68-Year-Old Hoddle Offers to Help Tottenham Dodge Relegation if Tudor Gets the Axe

Tottenham Hotspur’s survival hopes have taken a fresh twist off the pitch, with 68-year-old club icon Glenn Hoddle declaring himself ready to return to White Hart Lane as part of the coaching set-up should interim manager Igor Tudor be dismissed.

Tudor, appointed only last month after Thomas Frank’s sacking, has overseen three consecutive defeats against Arsenal, Fulham and, most recently, a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace in which Spurs finished with ten men. The sequence has left the north London outfit hovering above the drop zone and intensified supporter unrest, even as the board opted to keep faith with the Croatian for now.

Speaking on the FA Cup podcast Could It Be Magic, Hoddle, who managed Tottenham between 2001 and 2003, said he would “jump at the opportunity” to assist in any capacity, revealing a willingness to work alongside fellow former Lilywhite Robbie Keane should the Irishman emerge as a candidate for the hot-seat.

“I think it would actually,” Hoddle replied when asked if he would return during the current crisis. “Particularly with Tottenham, as that’s my club. I’ve supported them since I was eight years of age. So, they were a massive part of my life.”

Keane, presently in charge of Hungarian side Ferencvaros, played under Hoddle at Spurs and is understood to be under consideration by the hierarchy. Hoddle believes a partnership could provide the blend of youthful enthusiasm and experience required for a relegation fight.

“Robbie’s doing great as a young manager,” Hoddle noted. “So, to have a steady springboard and someone experienced like myself, that would be a good formula, in many ways.”

Hoddle, who also managed England and Chelsea, reflected candidly on his previous spell in the Tottenham dugout, citing financial constraints and internal politics as factors that undermined his tenure. “I managed them probably at the wrong time,” he admitted. “Politically and financially, there wasn’t any money there. Certainly, it wasn’t what they told me I was going into.”

For the moment, Tudor remains in post, preparing for daunting back-to-back trips to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Premier League. Anything short of positive results in those fixtures could accelerate calls for change, opening the door for Hoddle’s emotional return and a potential reunion with Keane in the technical area.

Tottenham fans, desperate for a spark to avert relegation, will watch developments closely as the club weighs its next move in a season that has lurched from one setback to another.