Premier League

CHELSEA are the world’s costliest football franchise, bought for £4.25billion and have splurged a world-record £600million on new players this season alone.Yet, in the 80s, the Blues were bust and unable to pay players wages until bought for £1 by Ken Bates, who was rescued by Roman Abramovich in 2003, with a £140m sale.
Glenn Hoddle has opened up on the shocking state of Chelsea when he became managerCredit: Rex
Hoddle has revealed all in a new documentary and bookCredit: Getty
In a BT Sport documentary and new book, Glenn Hoddle, manager from 1993-96, recalls how he was given a 50p piece and told to use the payphone hanging at the training ground to sell one of the club’s top players.
In an exclusive interview for the documentary and book, Hoddle recalls the appalling facilities he encountered at the Bridge.
Hoddle thought he had made the ‘big time’ — but found the Chelsea infrastructure inferior to Swindon, who he had just got promoted!
He explained: “I was confident in my ability as a manager: I can only improve them.
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“On the surface, it was looking as if it was going to be a step up. But the training ground was a disgrace. Swindon’s was better.
“Just incredible when I think back. Didn’t have an office. No gym. Didn’t even have a bath. The dressing rooms were so tight, no wonder they said, ‘We get a lot of flu during the winter’. It was an absolute disaster.
“I remember saying to the guys, ‘Tomorrow afternoon we’re going to do some good running’. One of the young coaches put his hands up and said, ‘Gaffer, we can’t train on a Wednesday, there’s hockey and cricket’.”
That was a reference to the Harlington training ground owned by Imperial College, who had first call on its facilities.
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Chelsea trained at a shared ground in HarlingtonCredit: Getty
The facilities needed more than a fresh coat of paintCredit: Getty
Hoddle was determined to set things rightCredit: Getty
It got worse. Hoddle continued: “I was trying to do a deal with Ron Atkinson over a player. And I’m talking on this phone with the bottom taken out.
“I had to put 50p in but it kept dropping. Ron asked, ‘What’s that beeping in the background?’ It was the pips! That was Chelsea FC. It was quite incredible.
“After their training, they’d probably go to McDonald’s on the way home. That was the philosophy.”
Hoddle brought from Monaco, where he played under Arsene Wenger, a whole new way — nutrition, training, tactical reforms.
Michael Duberry witnessed the big changes: “We’d just signed John Spencer from Rangers. We sat down at this American diner: Do I get the burger or the doner kebab? Can I have the doner kebab, chips and a can of coke? Spencer is looking [bemused]: ‘Are you lot for real?’ ‘Don’t knock it, Spenny, this is the highlight of our day.’ ”
Hoddle got off to a slow start at Stamford BridgeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
He was given plenty of backing by Matthew Harding and Ken Bates
Hoddle looked to bring in a new vision for trainingCredit: PA:Press Association
Hoddle said: “What I had at Swindon was technically far better than the squad I’d take over. Tactically, I wanted to play three at the back and do what I did at Swindon — but the centre-backs weren’t as comfortable.
“I was never going to change my principles. I’d spent too much time with a bad neck as a midfield player and with England, watching the ball go over my head. So I wasn’t going to play survival football. There was a pride in how we played.”
It was not easy to bring fans and players with him at first, especially with the club near the bottom of the table. Hoddle got a call from Bates on holiday, cruising in the Caribbean, to receive unconditional backing.
Hoddle said: “We were trying our best but it wasn’t easy. I knew where I wanted to take it but it was going to take time.
“We came out of The Dell and we were second from bottom and I’m getting pelters from the Chelsea fans. They were really giving me a hard time.
“Ken Bates always went away for Christmas/New Year on a cruise. He put a phone call through to us and said, ‘Don’t worry — you’re our man. We’re backing you. Stay cool’.
“Sometimes when you get that sort of phone call, you think, ‘Oh dear’, dread’s coming round the corner. I needed to hear that.’ ”
Hoddle admits he had his work cut out early onCredit: Rex
Results finally started to appear as the quality of players improvedCredit: PA:Press Association
Hoddle has talked all things Chelsea in Harry Harris’ new bookCredit: Getty
Hoddle’s brand of football attracted some of the world’s best stars, including one-time World Footballer of the Year Ruud Gullit.
But to persuade the super Dutchman to bring his brand of ‘sexy football’ to the Bridge, he had to keep him away from the ramshackle training ground and a down-market building site for a stadium!
Hoddle said: “I know he had a bit of a dodgy knee and it would take some doing to get him to come over.
“We had a good chat but he wanted to see the training ground, so I steered him well away from there.
“I said there was building going on and he’d have to put one of those hard hats on.
“He asked to go to the stadium and I said, ‘We’re having a new stadium, first stands are going up, so you’d have to put a hard hat on’.
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“I said, ‘Tell you what we could do, go and have lunch down the King’s Road’. So we took him to an Italian restaurant!”
The Battle for Stamford Bridge by Harry Harris. Out Now on Amazon for £10.95. More

TOTTENHAM midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is set to be ruled out until NOVEMBER after undergoing surgery on his left knee.The 25-year-old Uruguayan limped off during Spurs’ 4-1 loss to Leicester earlier this month.
Rodrigo Bentancur went off during Tottenham’s defeat to Leicester earlier this monthCredit: Reuters
It was subsequently ruled to be an ACL injuryCredit: PA
Bentancur’s fears were confirmed as he was told he had ruptured his ACLCredit: Twitter / Footballconfid1
It was later confirmed he had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Now, after going under the knife this week, he is expected to miss a significant portion of NEXT SEASON.
Bentancur has been a crucial midfielder for Antonio Conte over the past 12 months.
He arrived from Juventus in January of last year and has been ever-present in Tottenham’s side.
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He has already racked up 44 appearances for Spurs, contributing six goals and six assists.
And his absence could prove decisive in Tottenham’s pursuit of the top four this season.
They occupy fourth place heading into this weekend’s fixtures, but only hold a one-point lead over Newcastle in fifth.
They are also still in the Champions League as they prepare to try and overturn a 1-0 deficit against AC Milan.
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Last week, with Yves Bissouma also out injured and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg suspended, Conte was forced to field Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr in Milan.
But the pair did impress in defeat as Conte looks to welcome Hojbjerg back into the fold for the return leg.
Tottenham face a packed schedule over the next few weeks with six games in 20 days.
The Premier League clash at home to Chelsea will be followed up 72 hours later by a trip to Sheffield United in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
They then head to Wolves in the league, before the second leg of their European tie against Milan.
Another three-day turnover then sees them host Nottingham Forest, with a trip to Southampton their final game prior to the international break. More

THIS Liverpool wonderkid is the son of a Premier League icon.And he’s tearing it up for their U18s after going on a 90-goal blitz.
This 16-year-old wonderkid, left, is tearing it up for Liverpool’s youth sidesCredit: Getty
Jurgen Klopp’s senior players may not be doing the business this term.
But there is plenty of young talent to turn to at Anfield.
Midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, 18, has already become a regular in Liverpool’s starting XI this term.
Ben Doak and Bobby Clark have also made an impact with seven appearances between them.
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But there is one prodigy who could solve Liverpool’s woes in front of goal for good.
Step forward Keyrol Figueroa, 16, who is already a big member of the club’s U18 side.
Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the striker is the son of ex-defender Maynor, who played 179 Premier League games for Wigan Athletic.
And he’s already proven his goal-scoring capabilities with 90 goals in one season for Liverpool’s U13s and U14s.
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Keyrol Figueroa is the son of Wigan Athletic legend MaynorCredit: Action Images – Reuters
Figueroa is picking up international experience too after being called up by the USA for the 2023 CONCACAF U17 Championships.
He got a goal and assist from the bench on his debut, and has scored a further five goals in four more games.
Indeed, Figueroa not only has an ex-star in his dad Maynor, but has also been given the seal of approval by Antoine Griezmann as the France and Atletico Madrid star looks to become an agent.
A source close to the family told the Star: “Keyrol is amazed whenever Antoine gets in touch, he loves it.
“Antoine has become something of a mentor for the kid – via WhatsApp and with words of encouragement.
“It’s brilliant for him to have one of the game’s greatest strikers in football following his progress. It’s a huge boost.” More