Spurs article 1/2

Danners9 · Sep 12, 2003

Both from Reuters:

Hoddle feels the pressure at success-starved Spurs
Fri 12 September, 2003 11:02 BST

LONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Glenn Hoddle accepts that time is against him as he seeks to end 20 years of hurt at the north London club.

With neighbours Arsenal top of the premier league and southwest London-based Chelsea - Tottenham's opponents on Saturday - building a squad of world-beaters, Spurs fans feel like the poor relations. "What we're seeing at Spurs now is the result of 20 years of frustration," Hoddle said in an interview with the London Evening Standard newspaper on Friday.

"It's that long since they've been consistently successful. I think some felt when I arrived that it would all change overnight. It will change, but it'll take time.

"Whether they give me the time is another matter."

Hoddle, a huge crowd favourite in his playing days at Tottenham, has been in charge at White Hart Lane since April 2001 and pressure is mounting on the former England coach after a patchy start to the season.

The 3-0 home defeat by Fulham in Spurs' last game was a bitter pill for the fans to swallow but Hoddle says he can handle the pressure.

"Once you've had the England job you can cope with anything. Pressure? Yes, there's pressure, but it's not from the board, the fans or the media.

"It's self-induced. The pressure on me is from the inside.

"I've set myself targets for Spurs and I want to achieve them. I'm a Spurs man. I love the club. They are part of my history and I'm part of theirs."

CHELSEA DREAM

Spurs' lack of progress under Hoddle -- they have finished 12th, ninth and 10th in the last three seasons and not won a trophy -- will come sharply into focus at Stamford Bridge on Saturday against big-spending Chelsea.

"What a squad they've got at Chelsea now," said Hoddle, who was Chelsea coach between 1993 and 1996.

"They're going to be contenders for the title but it'll depend how the blend comes to the boil. It might take a year or so.

"It's all a bit unreal there at the moment. If I was (Chelsea coach) Claudio Ranieri I'd wake up every morning and pinch myself."

Chelsea have spent more than 100 million pounds ($159.4 million) on new players since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club in the close season.

"I've known nothing like it in my career. People draw comparisons with Real Madrid. Yes, they've got five or six wonderful players, but they've not done what Chelsea have been able to do in the last couple of months.

"Chelsea can now field two separate teams of class players. It's the dream of every coach."
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