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Former England manager Glenn Hoddle set for role within the FA to improve the national team

Chairman Greg Dyke will add the 55-year-old to his commission today

Martyn Ziegler
Wednesday 09 October 2013 11:53 BST
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Glenn Hoddle is set for a role with the FA
Glenn Hoddle is set for a role with the FA (GETTY IMAGES)

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke is expected to announce today that Glenn Hoddle is to be part of his commission looking at how to improve the England team.

The former England manager has held talks with Dyke on two occasions and the FA chairman is expected to make the announcement at the Leaders in Football conference in London this morning.

Dyke, who took over as chairman in July, believes action is needed to address what he described as a "frightening trend" of the reduction in the number of English players in the Premier League.

The aim of the body will be to improve England's long-term prospects but while Football League chairman Greg Clarke has agreed to be part of it, the Premier League will not have a representative on the commission.

Hoddle, 55, has not confirmed his involvement personally, but his appointment was revealed on the website he co-founded. He also been outspoken over the issue of the lack of English players.

He said recently: "We've got foreign owners, who bring in foreign managers, who bring in foreign players above English players and it's a downward spiral.

"It really is a concern. The pool has gone down from 48% in 1998-99, when I was [England] manager, to 32% this season.

"The England manager's job is a hard job as it is and it's going to get harder and harder unless we re-address it with a rule change."

Hoddle lost his job as England manager in 1999 after making comments about disabled people for which he later apologised saying they were a "serious error of judgement".

The former Tottenham midfielder had his contract terminated by the FA after comments in an interview were interpreted as suggesting disabled people were being made to pay for the sins of past lives.

Former Football Association chairman David Bernstein believes Hoddle will have plenty to offer, but he expressed concern over the Premier League having no presence on the commission.

"I don't know Glenn Hoddle personally," Bernstein told BBC Radio Five Live.

"But clearly he's a real man of football and he's got great football knowledge and I'm sure he'll be helpful.

"I do think it's very important the Premier League are involved in this.

"Any football body or committee trying to make progress in this country without the Premier League has got a bit of a problem.

"The Premier League clearly has quite a few of the answers and a great deal of power.

"I hope the Premier League see fit to send somebody onto this commission.

"I can't believe they wouldn't have been invited. It would be incredible to have a meaningful commission without inviting the Premier League.

"If we're looking at a commission for the greater, wider good of English football then all parties - the Football League, the Premier League, all parties - need to be involved in this, including if Greg (Dyke) thinks it right Glenn Hoddle."

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