Mystery surrounded Glenn Hoddle's future last night after Tottenham claimed they were involved in talks with their
former midfield player about returning to the club as manager.
Tottenham, who sacked manager George Graham earlier this month, insisted they had been given permission by Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe to speak to Hoddle, who has a contract running until the end of next season at The Dell.
However, Saints chairman Rupert Lowe insisted such ermission had not been granted.
''It is true talks are taking place,'' a Tottenham spokesman told the club's official website. ''There was a meeting due to take place this afternoon with the board, Glenn Hoddle and his agent.
''This is extremely good news for the club. The board got permission from Rupert Lowe over the weekend and they have been working on this meeting since.
''Everyone is hopeful that we can persuade him to come sooner rather than later, but we will have to wait and see what comes out of the meeting.''
Lowe responded on his own club's website, saying: ''I have not given formal permission to anybody to speak to Glenn.''
Hoddle did not show for a scheduled training session at Southampton yesterday and his club claimed his return from a week's holiday in South Africa had been delayed.
The former England manager is understood to have an escape clause in his contract which allows him to join another club upon payment of a compensation figure of #800,000.
Ruud Gullit said yesterday he had turned down advances from Spurs because he would prefer a coaching job in the Netherlands.
''I would prefer to stay here with all my friends and relatives,'' the former Dutch captain said. ''If I could get a coaching job I would prefer to be in the Netherlands.''
lRANGERS duo Craig Moore and Tony Vidmar have been called up for a three-week World Cup qualifying stint next month by Australia. Moore is almost certain to be named captain for the games against American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga.
lCeltic are lining up a move for #7m-rated Dutch international Victor Sikora, of Vitesse
Arnhem. Martin O'Neill, the Celtic manager, has been impressed by the form of
22-year-old Sikora, who has
broken into the senior Dutch side this season.
lDundee will learn tomorrow if recently acquired Georgian Zura Khizanishvili has been granted a work permit. The
19-year-old defender, already a regular in his national side, arrived on Tayside two weeks ago after being signed by manager Ivano Bonetti when Khizanishvili's club, Lokomotiv Tbilisi, ''went bust''.
lSecond division leaders Partick Thistle could clinch promotion tonight - even as they sit at home. Manager John Lambie and his players will be keeping a close watch on the outcome of the clash between Berwick and Stirling Albion - because, if Berwick are beaten, it will mean that no side can match Partick's 65 points.
lDunfermline lost #1.5m last year and are now carrying a #3m overdraft. The directors are proposing to issue 100,000 company #1 ordinary shares which at the moment are worth around #20 each and could raise #2m.
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