Football: 'Wrong' to doubt Dublin

GLENN HODDLE believes that England's victory against the Czech Republic will help the national team recover their self-belief and get their Euro 2000 qualifying campaign back on course. Last night's defeat of a team rated sixth in the world rankings will put poor displays against Sweden, Bulgaria and Luxembourg behind them, the England coach said.

"I was very pleased with the team's performance," Hoddle said. "Every single individual put a lot in and they all got a lot out of the game. It was an excellent performance really.

"If we had taken our chances in the second half it could have been four or five. That would have really been a just result. I said going into the game that we wanted to win as professionals, and you could see in that performance that they are winners.

"The main thing about winning this game was getting confidence for the next one and if we can continue with that, then we are in a good vein."

Hoddle was fulsome in his of praise of his veteran strike force, the 35-year-old Ian Wright and Dion Dublin, 29, who formed a new England pairing.

"Anyone who had any doubts about Dion as an international footballer has been proved wrong tonight," claimed Hoddle.

"He was fantastic and Ian Wright produced enough movement for two games. His calf started to tighten up and we brought him off as a precaution."