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Glenn Hoddle Named Man Utd Icon as the Greatest Player he Ever Coached
Glenn Hoddle is often considered to be one of the most naturally gifted footballers England has ever produced. Unlike the typical English midfielder built around lung-bursting energy and shin-shattering tackles, Hoddle possessed a uniquely continental mixture of intelligence, vision and technique, able to decimate defenses with a single pass and score or assist with extraordinary grace.
His opinion, therefore, certainly carries some weight, which is why he was able to transition into the England manager role not long after hanging up his boots in 1995, taking charge of the Three Lions for the entirety of their 1998 World Cup campaign — qualifiers included. And during that spell, Hoddle encountered a talent he has subsequently described as the best player he had the opportunity to coach.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes made his England debut during Hoddle’s tenure as manager. The midfielder represented the national side for just seven years, stepping away in 2004 to concentrate on his family life and club career. During that period, however, Scholes featured in two European Championships and two World Cups, earning more than 60 appearances for the Three Lions.
And just like Hoddle, Scholes became a player known for being distinctly ‘un-English’. He wasn’t a great tackler – in fact, Hoddle describes it as the only flaw in his game – but his control of the ball and reading of the pitch was world-class.
Looking back on Scholes receiving his first call-up to the national squad, Hoddle said:
“As soon as I became England manager, he hadn’t been in the squad, but I earmarked him and [David Beckham] straight away. What I’d seen of him, he was top, top quality. He then continued that for the next 15 years, he had everything. I’ve gone on record, saying [Scholes was the best player I coached].
“He had one thing that I think he had to improve on, it wasn’t much really. I was trying to get him to stand on his feet, not see the red mist. You could see he wanted to win the ball, and he went in sometimes and I was thinking, ‘he’s going to get sent off.’
That’s the only problem he had as a player. If that’s your only weakness, then you’ve got a chance. He was excellent. His technique was second to none.”
Hoddle’s England Career Remains a Three Lions ‘What If’
Both as a player and a coach, Hoddle’s spells with England left fans wondering what could have been. His style of play never quite suited the tactics of his managers, while he was eventually dismissed as England coach himself in 1999 after controversial remarks he made off the field. In terms of win percentage, he remains one of England’s most successful managers, although his player management often drew criticism, with the exclusion of Paul Gascoigne from his 1998 World Cup squad standing out as a notable example.
Nonetheless, Hoddle helped usher several players into the England setup, most notably Scholes, Beckham and Michael Owen, while his preferred tactics and formation selections were expansive, progressive and attacking in nature. His 1998 side which lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout blended youth and experience, but within the next few World Cup cycles, the Three Lions’ Golden Generation – featuring the likes of Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Wayne Rooney – had begun to break through.
Who knows what Hoddle could’ve achieved with such an impressive cohort of world-class talent at his disposal.
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It should have been a perfect partnership for the Three Lions.
Manchester United and Tottenham are both pushing to sign West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes in the summer transfer window, and Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on a potential deal.
Fernandes has been one of the biggest talking points in the summer transfer window so far, especially when it comes to the Premier League.
A number of sides in England are interested in the midfielder after West Ham were relegated to the Championship last season.
A departure feels inevitable for the former Southampton man, but it remains to be seen where he could end up.
Despite West Ham being relegated, they are remaining strong with their valuation of the player, not looking to roll over despite dropping down a league.
It certainly helps that multiple clubs are interested in signing Fernandes, meaning a bidding war could ensue.
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Romano Update: Tottenham and Man Utd Push for Fernandes
Reporting on his YouTube channel, Romano has provided an update on Manchester United and Tottenham’s interest in Portuguese midfielder Fernandes.
“I still stand by my own call on this deal. For Mateus Fernandes, Manchester United and Tottenham are still fighting. Tottenham have been there for days, trying to enter, pushing with the player, pushing with his agent. Manchester United remain in contact with West Ham. Man Utd are still working on the Mateus Fernandes deal.”
Romano confirms that both United and Tottenham are ‘pushing like crazy’ to get a deal done, but it’s unclear who is going to win the race at the moment.
There have been claims that Tottenham have reached an agreement with West Ham and Fernandes to secure his signature, but Romano believes that both clubs are still pushing.
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Fernandes Picking the Best Offer
Romano also confirms that Fernandes and West Ham have decided that whoever makes the best financial offer will win the race for the Portuguese midfielder.
If one club offers one penny more, they will win the race, with Fernandes seemingly happy to join either club in the summer transfer window.
That might come as a surprise, with United competing in the Champions League and Tottenham finishing 17th last season.
The West Ham midfielder clearly likes the idea of the Tottenham project and working under Roberto De Zerbi.
It will be interesting to see which club coughs up the most money, as they both seem to have other targets as well in the midfield.
Ivana Knoll, a Croatian model who went viral at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, has started a new career since first being spotted supporting her country.
She became famous instantly after being snapped wearing the iconic red and white checks of her country eight years ago. The 33-year-old then made headlines in Qatar four years ago after many of her outfits went against the country’s strict rules.
Ivana now has almost three million followers on social media and was spotted at Croatia’s 2026 World Cup clashes with England and Panama. She has continued to work as an influencer since her rise to fame, but has now embarked on a new journey.
Ivana Knoll Starts New Career at World Cup
As well as her modelling and influencing commitments, Ivana has now embarked on a journey as a DJ. With the stage name ‘KnollDoll’, the superfan is performing at various venues during this summer’s World Cup.
Before her country were beaten by England in their opening game, she performed at a FIFA Fan Festival in Los Angeles. She’s previously worked with David Guetta and performed at high-profile venues like Madison Square Garden in New York.
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Speaking about the time-consuming new venture after watching Croatia defeat Panama, Knoll told talkSPORT: “I’m amazing. It’s my second game. I came only for Croatia games because now I’m on my DJ tour, my first big US tour.”
She then explained how this is her fourth World Cup, saying: “So I didn’t have time to visit other games, but I’m visiting Croatia games, and this is my fourth World Cup. It’s my routine already. Four World Cups in 16 years. In Brazil, I was very, very young.”
Recalling initially going viral in Russia in 2018, and then gaining even more attention in Qatar, Ivana is delighted to now be watching Croatia in the country she now lives in. She continued:
“In Russia, it was special because we [reached] the final, and I was already going viral in the first game.
“Then in Qatar, I really exploded worldwide, which I never expected. And now it’s here in the country where I live, so I moved to Miami four years ago. It’s amazing.”
Some may even recognise the aspiring DJ from a Formula One event earlier in 2026, when a Sky Sports cameraman appeared to get slightly distracted by her.
Ivana Knoll Names Her Favourite Player ‘as a Person’
Over the years, she’s come into contact with some of the biggest names in world football. However, the 33-year-old claimed to have a particularly pleasant experience when meeting Man City and Norway star Erling Haaland.
“Honestly, personally, who I met and I think is the only player who I really like as a person, is Haaland.
“We have a photo together, and I’m small next to him, and I’m 180.”
She continued: “I know Vinicius [Junior], I know I met Haaland, I know Rafael Leao. They’re all nice guys, you know? So I cannot say anything, but my most impression was with Haaland and his friends. So I think they are very nice people.”
Arsenal are preparing their first offer for Morgan Rogers, according to Football Insider, as the Gunners prepare for changes in their midfield department.
The Premier League champions have had a slightly subdued start to the transfer window compared to some of their rivals so far, with less work to do to stay at the very top.
There is still a desire to strengthen the options available to Mikel Arteta, however, with talks underway to sign Christos Tzolis and Jeremy Monga as squad options.
Then there’s a push for Bruno Guimaraes on the cards, with one bid rejected, and a second expected for the Newcastle midfielder in the coming days.
Arsenal have started to ramp up their interest in key targets, and it seems as though Rogers could be the next option the club pushes to sign.
Morgan Rogers Bid Prepared
With a move for Guimaraes stepping up, Football Insider claims Arsenal are expected to make an opening bid for Rogers in the coming weeks of the transfer window.
The England international is claimed to be a “top target” for the Gunners, though any deal could be tough to strike with Aston Villa.
Rogers has a deal until 2031 at Villa Park, and it’s claimed that Unai Emery’s side are firmly against a sale. That said, any offer worth over £100 million would be enough for them to agree a deal.
It’s unclear what Arsenal’s starting point for the 23-year-old will be, as they set themselves up to make the first offer. However, it could be the start of a long saga that the North London club will hope ends in a deal to sign the versatile forward.
It would be quite the statement of intent from the Gunners too, signing a player who has been described as “one of the world’s best” in recent seasons.
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Arsenal Mean Business In Transfer Window
Arsenal are showing they mean business this summer transfer window, with moves for Bruno Guimaraes and Morgan Rogers. The pair have been quality options for Premier League sides regularly making Europe, who will no doubt command huge fees.
But, after winning the division, it’s clear that the Gunners believe they can do what it takes to convince the stars to move to North London, irrespective of the fees.
That could see them move from strength to strength, platforming a pair of superstars into a team that is already filled with quality and hard-working talent around them.
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Arsenal are set to bid for one of their key transfer targets this summer, having made contact over a move.
It’s unclear whether it will be enough to make the side look more comfortable in the key moments, or if it will get them over the line in pursuit of the Champions League.
However, it shows that Arsenal aren’t happy just winning trophies once. They mean business and intend to do it all over again.
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