Hoddle faces fresh attack

Glenn Hoddle's relationship with his players has come under fire again today.

Steffen Freund is the latest former player to hit out at the Tottenham manager over his treatment last season.

The German's attack, and further criticism in Standard Sport from Neil Sullivan, follows on from David Beckham's revelation that Hoddle "made me sick" during the 1998 World Cup when he was England coach.

Freund, who was released at the end of the season, claims Hoddle U-turned on the decision to let him go and then failed to tell him he had changed his mind again.

The popular Freund, who was a cult-figure at White Hart Lane, was frozen out by Hoddle after he criticised the team spirit when Spurs were thrashed 4-0 by Southampton in the FA Cup third round last January,

"The manager had a personal-problem with me," said Freund.

"In my career, if I had a row with the manager on the pitch, it was forgotten when the game was over, but it was not forgotten by him. There is no space for that in modern football. If a manager doesn't like a player but he is playing well, then that should be enough. He makes his own life difficult."

Hoddle goes into tomorrow's match against big spending Chelsea, the club he used to manage, with speculation over his future after picking up just four points this season. And he seemed to indicate that the Spurs board's patience may be close to running out after he spent £12million, the highest summer spending spree bar Claudio Ranieri at Chelsea.

"What we're seeing at Spurs now is the result of 20 years of frustration," Hoddle said. "I think some felt when I arrived that it would all change overnight. It will change, but it'll take time. Whether they give me the time is another matter."