Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Hoddle is backing management duo
FORMER England boss Glenn Hoddle believes Cherries' management duo have the youthful enthusiasm to succeed and he thinks they will emerge stronger for last season's play-off heartache.[LNB] Hoddle is tipping rookies Lee Bradbury and Steve Fletcher to benefit in the long run after tasting the agony of penalty shoot-out defeat at Huddersfield in May.[LNB] The ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss was speaking after watching Cherries defeat his Glenn Hoddle Academy team on spot kicks in the EC Group Cup at Seward Stadium on Saturday.[LNB] Hoddle's academy forged solid links with Cherries last term and the former Spurs star admitted he had sympathised with Bradbury and Fletcher after seeing them narrowly miss out on promotion.[LNB] But while he believes management is as tough as ever, Hoddle thinks Cherries have men well equipped for the task.Speaking to the Daily Echo, he said: It has always been difficult, whether you are at the top of the Premier League or in the lower leagues, Conference or wherever.[LNB] Management is always a tough job and there are no easy management jobs around. That has been the case since football started.[LNB] There are a lot of demands from all sorts of people the public, the supporters, television and media. It has not got easier.[LNB] But I think Lee is well equipped. Him and Fletch are young, they have got energy, they are vibrant and they want to do well. They will uncover every stone to try to get that success.[LNB] We played them down here in a friendly last season and we do know them. Graham Rix (Glenn Hoddle Academy senior coach) knows Bradders really well.[LNB] When they got knocked out in the play-offs, all of us felt for them.[LNB] But sometimes you have to learn the hard way and, sometimes, that is the best way to learn if you can take that experience on the chin and carry it forward.[LNB] Lee and Fletch as a management team will be a better team for what happened to them.[LNB] Sure, the club wanted to go up and they wanted to go up. But they came so close that it will give them the confidence to say well, now we can have another run at this'.[LNB] The Glenn Hoddle Academy gives players released from clubs a second chance and tries to hone their skills to help them get into the professional game.[LNB] Hoddle, who saw his young hopefuls claim a 1-1 draw against Bradbury's men on Saturday before losing on penalties, is keen to build on his academy's links with Cherries.[LNB] He added: Ben Williamson has been down here and Billy Lumley was here on trial.[LNB] There have been players that have had association with Bournemouth and it would be nice to have that and keep that.[LNB] Everyone saw on Saturday that we have got some talented players and I believe most of them could do very well in the league and who knows where they could go in the coming years.[LNB] But we certainly did ourselves credit on Saturday.[LNB] Hoddle's outfit helped themselves to a handy cash boost with another accomplished performance on Saturday.[LNB] They defeated Lokomotiv Moscow 3-0 in the third/fourth-place play-off to claim £20,000 prize money.[LNB]
