Glenn Hoddle has insisted he helped David Beckham after his red card at the 1998 World Cup, rather than ‘throwing him under the bus’.
Former England manager Hoddle was referenced in Beckham’s documentary ‘Beckham’ late last year, showing the former Manchester United man a red card against Argentina.
The Three Lions icon lashed out at Argentine Diego Simeone, who he said went down softly in the 47th minute of the match, forcing England to play with 10 men for the remainder of the last 16 match after giving his marching orders got. .
England ultimately lost on penalties, and Hoddle said after the match that the broadcast changed the game and David will have to learn from his mistake after letting his side down.
After previously claiming that the words did not bother him, Hoddle continued speaking to Jeff Stelling Football’s biggestdismissed the accusations, which mainly came from Beckham’s wife Victoria and mother Sandra, insisting he was in fact protecting the midfielder.
Glenn Hoddle has denied throwing David Beckham ‘under the bus’ after his red card at the 1998 World Cup
Beckham (left) was given his marching orders for lashing out at Diego Simeone (right) in the last 16 against Argentina
Hoddle said after the match that Beckham’s red card changed the game but insisted he backed the midfielder
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“If I remember correctly – I haven’t seen the documentary – I know I went to a press conference in France after the game and said the exact opposite,” Hoddle said. “I said David cannot be made a scapegoat.
‘I assume that’s not on the document. But I actually went out and did the opposite. I remember calling him afterwards and asking if he wanted help. He said no, everything is fine, the club is helping me, blah blah blah. Maybe he forgot, I don’t know. But I remember that clearly.
‘It was a terrible time for him and he showed such character. Not about his ability, but to get through that, and show the character he showed, and the mentality to get through it and then see… the rest of his career in England was great from the boy.
“But throw him under the bus? Not really. I’ve actually protected him in more ways than he probably knows.”
Victoria Beckham (pictured) heavily criticized former England manager Hoddle during the documentary series about her husband David’s life and career in football
Beckham also talks about the extreme reactions he faced at the time in the documentary series
Hoddle stoked the storm with his post-match comments, insisting the broadcast changed the game and David should learn from his mistake after letting his side down.
Speaking during the documentary, Victoria said: ‘Glenn Hoddle didn’t come out and protect him. And how old was David, 23?
‘You are a 23 year old child. Glenn Hoddle was a man. Actually, I wouldn’t say it was a man, he was older.’
Beckham said he wished there was ‘a pill you could take to erase certain memories from that time’
He said he felt ‘vulnerable and alone’ despite Hoddle arguing. Beckham told him that his club supported him
Opening up about the emotionally challenging time, David said: “I wish there was a pill you could take to erase certain memories.
‘I felt very vulnerable and alone. There was this horrible paparazzi guy (when I returned to England) and he said, “How do you feel about letting your country down? You’re a disgrace.”
Sandra, meanwhile, was scathing about Hoddle when she was interviewed. She said: ‘Glenn Hoddle said his head wasn’t in the right place, didn’t he? I just put it on my hit list of people who upset me.”