July 3 – Le Hand of Hod?

IT was an unlikely match: what were the France, the defending European Champions with a side featuring some of the world’s best players doing touting out one of the many recent failed Tottenham managers as their new boss?

Today in 2004 it emerged that Glenn Hoddle was on a three-man shortlist for the job of French national team manager.

After their first-round shock exit in the 2002 World Cup, France had crashed out of Euro 2004 in the quarter-finals to the eventual shock winners of the tournament, Greece.

French coach Jacques Santini had announced before the tournament he would be stepping down after the fun and games in Portugal, and would become the new Tottenham manager, ending David Pleat’s caretaker spell after the former Luton boss took the reigns from… you guessed it, Glenn Hoddle.

With the managerial merry-go-round in full effect, Hoddle brushed up his CV and was the only foreigner to contact the French Football Federation. As a player, Hoddle had played for Monaco in the Eighties under Arsene Wenger and was pitted against Jean Tigana and Laurent Blanc as the early front-runners.

After being sacked from the England job after airing his views on reincarnation, Hoddle returned to the game at Southampton, where a steady-away spell saw him land the job at his former stomping ground White Hart Lane.

As is often the case with returning heroes, Hoddle was unable to meet the dizzying heights he had set on the field and was soon sent packing.

It didn’t take long for the French big-wigs to see sense and kick Hoddle into touch. Claude Simonet, president of the FFF said of the candidates: “I was impressed by their common desire, including Glenn Hoddle’s idea of making the French team an all-conquering French team. But we have to eliminate two of them.

“I had a very interesting discussion with Glenn Hoddle on Wednesday, but a problem was posed in relation to his relations with the national coaching body. His salary also proved a problem.”

Les Bleu instead opted for Raymond Domenech and Hoddle soon rocked up at Molineux, where he again only lasted a couple of seasons before being given the sack. Santini meanwhile, was absolutely rubbish at Spurs.

Another team that play in white were doing better than Spurs could ever dream of today, so read about that here and hot-foot over here tomorrow as we all try and get through this footballing barren spell together. Oh, and we never tire of finding new ways to pigeon hole this clip in:

July 2 – England Go Home

ENGLAND’S superiority complex meant that the Three Lions didn’t bother entering the World Cup until the fourth competition took place in 1950. After their shock loss to the USA in their second group game, they probably wish they hadn’t bothered.

Today in 1950 they played their final game of the tournament, knowing that only a big win against group leaders Spain would prevent them from taking the long boat back to Blighty from Brazil.

Spain had almost ‘done an England’ and succumbed to the USA in their opening game, trailing 1-0 until three goals in the final quarter of an hour spared their blushes. They followed this up with a conformable win over Chile and were in the driving seat for a place in the last four when they took on Walter Winterbottom’s England side at the Maracana.

With 74,000 fans in attendance Winterbottom brought back Stanley Matthews who had been controversially left out against the USA, but England struggled to find any rhythm as the first-half ended with the two sides goalless.

Only three minutes after the interval England’s hopes were dangling by a thread, as Spanish defender Zarra scored, leaving the Three Lions with a mountain to climb.

Despite containing some of the world’s greatest players in the shape of Matthews, Billy Wright, Stan Mortensen, Jackie Milburn and Tom Finney, England were not able to breach the Spanish defence.

England returned home after finishing second in their group, but weren’t convinced that they weren’t the best side in the world until they were humbled by Puskas and his Hungarian Mighty Magyars three years later.

See what else was going on today in footballing history here and join us tomorrow for some more of the same.

July 1 – England Tame the Lions (Just)

ALTHOUGH Italia 90 is remembered by England fans for the progress to the last four and then penalty heartbreak (again), it was actually quite a low-scoring tournament in an era when organised, defensive football was coming into fashion.

One team in the competition eschewed these virtues like no other and on this day, Cameroon played out perhaps the best match of the finals with England.

Their World Cup story was already a fairy tale, with 38-year-old veteran Roger Milla at it’s heart. Having stunned the World Champions Argentina by beating them in their opening match, the Indomitable Lions also picked off Romania and Columbia (both 2-1) to earn their place in the last eight.

Meanwhile England had scraped through, helped by a late, late show by David Platt against Belgium in the previous match.

After an early chance for Francois Omam, the African team began to dominate but then in the 25th minute, against the run of play England opened the scoring – a bullet header from David Platt from a Stuart Pearce cross.

The match got to half time with no further goals and all the fans wondering when they would see goal-hero Milla. They didn’t have to wait long. He came on after the break and with an hour played he won a penalty. Emmanuel Kunde dispatched it. 1-1.

Now they had the momentum and were soon in front, Milla setting up Eugene Ekeke for 2-1. And how they deserved it.

But England were not done yet and with seven minutes left Gary Lineker came to the rescue again and scored a penalty to take the match into extra time.

In the 105th minute, joy for England and heartbreak for Cameroon when they conceded another penalty and Lineker made no mistake from the spot.

By now the Africans were spent and simply did not have the legs to have another go at England. The Three Lions were through to the semis, the Indomitable Lions had just enough energy in them at the final whistle to do a lap of the stadium as the crowd voiced their appreciation for the most exciting team of the tournament.

England boss Bobby Robson, who had apparently been told by his scouts before the match that Cameroon would pose no threat and that he basically had a bye into the semis, said: “Everybody had a bit of sympathy for Cameroon today – I know I did. We got in front with a good goal, a wonderful goal, but at the time they were the better team. And when they went ahead they were the better team. But we pulled it out of the fire.”

Goal scorer David Platt added: “It was a difficult game – they were strong and athletic, although tactically naïve at times. We weren’t surprised by them because they had done very well but we did expect to win.”