Bramwell Speaks Out

MY faith in Hod has been partially restored.

Not because the England coach has left the fat boy out of the squad.

Only the founder members of the 'Eat Lard To Stay Fit' campaign could seriously have considered Gascoigne a worthy squad member.

But I have been mightily impressed by the way Glenn Hoddle has deflected the inevitable criticism of his squad selection by playing his Gazza trump card so effectively.

Tears, tantrums, torment and toffees makes for better reading than the strategic chasms Hoddle has manufactured in his final 22.

It is clear that player power forced Hoddle's hand in the Gascoigne decision.

Plastic breasts and funny faces are all well and good in training.

But some players do take their job seriously and Gascoigne's childish charm has a lifespan of milliseconds.

Even his influence under Terry Venables during Euro 96 was exaggerated.

It has been suggested that Venables was the brains behind a children's TV series - based on Gascoigne - called El Tel Tubbies. Hoddle, however, has a more serious and practical outlook on life.

When it was clear that Eileen Drewery could not deflect Gascoigne's attentions from bottles of spirits to a more spiritual and spirited approach to training, Hoddle used his smokescreen to full effect.

Not one person saw him pulling the final 22 out of the hat.

How else can the fact that there is no cover for Graeme Le Saux as left wing back be explained?

I still maintain that Dion Dublin is not an international class centre forward.

But I would rather have Hetty Wainthrop leading the line than Les Ferdinand.

And yesterday's squad numbering would tend to suggest that Michael Owen is to be used sparingly.

Why doesn't Hoddle go the whole hog and rest Shearer until the final?

Take David Beckham and Teddy Sheringham out of the predicted starting line-up and there is still hope.

But five of the remaining 11 - Anderton, Merson, Lee, Ferdinand and the other Ferdinand - do not fill me with a lot of confidence.

There is every chance these players will be widely needed when the red cards start to fly in SIX days time.

Neil Bramwell is the Sports Editor

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