Is Glenn Hoddle Spurs Greatest Ever Midfielder?

Glenn Hoddle was a footballer of exceptional talent and creativity. A player who in the 1980s established himself as one of the best midfielders in the game. He was a formidable player on the field thanks to his exceptional ability to set up and score goals. As well as his vision, passing range, and technical prowess. But is Glenn Hoddle Spurs greatest ever midfielder?

Hoddle began his professional career with Tottenham Hotspur in 1975. In doing so he quickly established himself as a critical player for the team. He was known for his ability to score from long range. As a result, his powerful shots from outside the box were a regular feature of his game. This was proven by his long-range winner for Spurs on his First Division debut in 1976 against Stoke City. Stoke’s keeper was England legend Peter Shilton at the time. He was also a master of the free-kick, scoring many goals from set pieces during his career.

Hoddle-Inspired Spurs

Although Spurs were relegated to the Second Division in 1976–77 after 27 seasons in the First Division, a Hoddle-inspired Spurs side gained promotion to the top flight at the first attempt. During Tottenham’s transitional phase, Hoddle had his first international cap against Wales on 15 December 1976. He would go on to collect eleven caps at that level, and twice for England ‘B’. In addition, he scored on his full international debut against Bulgaria on 22 November 1979.

The 1979–80 season marked Hoddle’s emergence as a top-flight midfielder. The 22-year-old scored 19 goals in 41 league appearances and was named PFA Young Player of the Year. In 1981, he played a key role in Tottenham’s sixth FA Cup victory, beating Manchester City after a replay. The following season, Tottenham won the FA Cup (Hoddle scored in both the Final and Final replay). They also finished the league campaign in fourth place, the club’s best position since 1971.

Prominent Role

Hoddle played a prominent role in many of these successes, including reaching the final of the League Cup, losing to Liverpool 3–1, and reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup. During the summer of 1982, Hoddle played in two of England’s matches in the opening group phase of the FIFA World Cup, starting against Kuwait after a substitute appearance in a 2–0 win against Czechoslovakia.

A variety of minor physical difficulties constrained Hoddle’s participation in the subsequent three seasons (he only started 76 of a possible 126 league matches), but he still managed to win the 1984 UEFA Cup in spite of missing the Final due to fitness issues. He assisted Spurs in a 6-2 victory over a Feyenoord Rotterdam team that included Johan Cruyff in October 1983. Before their first encounter, Cruyff dismissed Hoddle, but following Hoddle’s performance, Cruyff exchanged shirts with Hoddle out of respect.

Wenger Comes Calling

In the following three seasons, Spurs came dangerously close to winning more trophies, finishing third in the First Division, advancing to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals, and losing to Coventry City in the 1987 FA Cup Final—the only time the North London club has lost in the illustrious knockout competition’s Final showpiece. Hoddle’s final game for Spurs was the shock loss to Coventry when he was acquired by newly appointed AS Monaco boss Arsène Wenger for a sum of £750,000.

Only four players (Steve Perryman, Pat Jennings, Gary Mabbutt, and Cyril Knowles) have made more appearances in a Spurs jersey between 1975 and 1987 than the talented playmaker, who scored 110 goals in 490 first-team games in all competitions. At an international level, Hoddle won 44 caps for England during his Tottenham career.

 

Passing and Vision

In addition to his goalscoring exploits, Hoddle was also known for his exceptional passing and vision. His ability to pick out teammates with pinpoint passes, and his ability to read the game and predict where the ball would be in the future, made him one of the most creative midfielders of his generation. His ability to pick out a pass, be it a short one or a long one, was an integral part of his game and made him a joy to watch.

Is Glenn Hoddle Spurs Greatest Ever Midfielder?

In conclusion, Glenn Hoddle was a truly exceptional footballer of the 1980s. His goalscoring ability, combined with his vision and passing range, made him one of the best midfielders of his generation.

His performances for Tottenham and England during this period place him high up among the game’s most influential players of the 70s and 80s.

But is Glenn Hoddle Spurs greatest ever midfielder? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.