Hoddle

[BANGKOK RED]

Somebody texted in that Rix and Beasant were there today

[jonny72]

Isn't that the last four games or so that Hoddle or one of his team has been watching?

As the tie up with the Spanish club has been terminated, there has to be a good chance that we're lining up a deal.

Maybe moving his academy to Swindon, Hoddle becoming director of football and one of his team becoming manager?

[Benzel]

Someone texted in saying Hoddle is buying out the club! haha. I guess they've got their wires crossed somewhere...

[BANGKOK RED]

Hoddle becoming director of football and one of his team becoming manager?

Which was apparently the set up with the Spanish team

Does anybody know the circumstances behind their relegation?

[jonny72]

I believe that their team was pretty much all players from the academy. There was some kind of falling out, so Hoddle and the academy packed their bags and headed back to England. Leaving them without enough players to complete their games.

[cheltred69]

Seems that the club were bailed out by the academy and given loans.  These loans haven't been repaid so Hoddle has pulled the link and relocated his academy to the UK (Bisham Abbey).
12 players have returned to Spain to allow the Spanish club to fulfil their fixtures for this season.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

This academy doesn't sound like something I want us to get involved in to be quite honest.

[pericarp]

Screw the academy and its links. But hoddle, come to us. 

[Dazzza]

By all means attach the academy to the club but do not let the academy become the club or even interfere with the current set-up.   If Glen’s academy players were good enough they would have found a club by virtue of their ability.  Yes a few slip down the back of the couch like Charlie Austin but they’re few and far between and usually there’s a reason why they fall down the back of the couch in the first place.

In the current environment when kids are being poached from youth team level it’s hard to believe there is that much talent getting missed. 

Just my two penneth worth but those youngsters that end up in Premiership or even Championship academies in some instances fail due to a lack of competitive games and ending up down the bottom of the pile and start playing regularly is actually what they need to get to a standard where they become league quality.

It’s a noble project but not one that will make a successful winning team or even youth set-up.
I really, really hope Rix or the Beast do not end up anywhere near the 1st team next season or I can see us imploding in spectacular and traumatising fashion.

[cheltred69]

Can't make any sense to become the outlet for GH Academy - a bunch of kids in L2 would get murdered.
Sure Fitton has made mistakes since taking over the club but no way can realistically see him taking such a gamble.

[jonny72]

Think about 6 players have gone from the academy to league clubs, though none have achieved much so far.

I doubt Hoddle would be stupid enough to think he could just dump all his kids in to a League Two team. They could with the Spanish team as they play at a level equal to or lower than our Conference North / South - Supermarine level for example.

Working with the academy makes sense to me. We might get a few players out of it plus it gives Hoddle the structure of a club to work within - sort of merging it with our youth / reserve team. I can't see having Hoddle involved with us at some level being a bad thing, I'd prefer him picking the new manager than Fitton.

[Spencer_White]

No to any Rix involvement at the club. ITS A BIG NO FITTON!

[Lumps]

I really, really hope Rix or the Beast do not end up anywhere near the 1st team next season or I can see us imploding in spectacular and traumatising fashion.

Even at Industrial the club kept their own manager, with Hoddle and the academy's coaching staff working in an advisory capacity.