Protests won't affect Hoddle

When it comes to thick skin, Hoddle is in the Graham class. He's practically untouchable. That's not a criticism. Rhino hide is a strength in a modern football coach, not a weakness. The big names like Ferguson, Wenger and Eriksson all appear impervious to criticism.

Some months ago, I spoke to Hoddle about the pressures faced by modern coaches. 'Once you've had the England job you can cope with anything,' said the former Spurs and England midfielder.

'The only pressure on me is from inside. It's self-induced. I set myself targets and I want to achieve them. That's my pressure.'

The fact that, after 14 years coaching at Swindon, Chelsea, England, Southampton and Spurs he remains some way short of achieving his targets, suggests one of two things: he's simply not good enough to achieve targets at the highest level or he's learned all the necessary lessons and is ready to hit a winning streak. It is for Lowe to figure out which path Hoddle's future career is most likely to take.

Hoddle showed immense promise as an England coach. I think he got the job too early in his career but demonstrated that, tactically, he could outwit the best. He lost his job with the Football Association largely because of matters unrelated to football and it would not surprise me if one day he was asked back to work at Soho Square.

In the meantime, he is desperate to embrace the challenge of football once again. He is bored sitting around, doing media work and playing the occasional game of golf.

'I feel there's unfinished business,' he told me.

Lowe always had the highest regard for Hoddle's work on the training ground and for his grasp of tactics and strategy. His manmanagement skills are questionable, but that didn't stop him guiding Southampton to seventh place in the Premiership.

Hoddle's decision to walk out was a big blow to Southampton, but Lowe's anger was directed more at the Tottenham boardroom than Hoddle himself.

Southampton followers may be reluctant to face this truth but they should accept that, in the modern game, the fans are the only true loyalists. For the chairmen, managers, agents and players contracts, promises and loyalty mean next to nothing.