Quote Originally Posted by Hilts View Post
Not ironic at all. Im sure Hoddle would have loved the Gazza of 90 or even 96. He gave him every opportunity but he was a shadow of the player he was plus his fitness was nowhere near what was needed.
He'd played a lot more than Merson in the world cup qualifiers. Merson only came off the bench once in 98, and that is what gazza could have done. Mersons spot is the only one gazza could have had, really. He wouldn't have been a starter.

Mentally, he was in a bad place with the booze, but then so was Merson. Perhaps Merson wasn't as bad, or perhaps he was just able to function a lot better.

I'm not saying gazza should have gone. He might have gone totally mad there. Just that with hoddle's history, he could have made space for a natural, albeit fading, talent.