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Glenn Hoddle says Paul Scholes was the best player he coached during his managerial career.
Former Manchester United midfielder Scholes was handed his England debut by Hoddle in 1997 and would go on to win 66 caps for the Three Lions, scoring 14 times.
The pair were both part of BT Sport’s punditry team for Saturday’s Premier League match between United and Southampton and when asked to comment on Scholes, Hoddle had nothing but praise for his former player.
“As soon as I became England manager… he hadn’t been in the squad but I earmarked him and Becks [David Beckham] straight away to be brought in,” Hoddle told BT Sport.
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“What I’d seen of him, he was just top, top quality. He then continued that for the next 15 years.
“He had everything. Everyone says to me, ‘Who is the best player you’ve coached?’. It’s Paul.”
Scholes would spend his entire professional career with Manchester United, scoring 155 goals in 718 games for the Old Trafford club.
He would retire in 2013 as one of English football’s greatest ever players but Hoddle admits Scholes wasn’t quite the complete package when he first arrived in the England squad.
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“He had one thing that I think he had to improve on, and it wasn’t much really. I was forever trying to get him to stand on his feet and not see the red mist,” added Hoddle.
“Because you could see that he wanted to win the ball and he went in sometimes… and I’m thinking ‘He’s going to get sent off a few times’.
“That was the only problem he had as a player. If that’s your only weakness then you’ve got a chance.
“He was excellent, his technique was second to none.”
When asked to reflect on his first England call-up, Scholes accidentally referred to Sky Sports during BT Sport’s pre-match coverage on Saturday.
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You can read his hilarious exchange with host Jake Humphrey below:
Humphrey: “Do you remember the phone call or the message from Glenn? How did it work in those days? Did you get a phone call or a message or a letter from the FA?”
Scholes: “I can’t remember to be honest. I probably just read it on Sky Sports…”
Humphrey: “Can I just point out that’s only because at that time BT Sport didn’t exist!”
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Scholes: “Exactly! I was going to say that!”
Featured Image Credit: BT Sport & PATopics: Paul Scholes, BT Sport, England, Manchester United, Premier League, Football
