Why Swansea would be wrong to ask Hoddle to replace Laudrup
Published:Michael Laudrup became the first manager to be sacked by Swansea in over 10 years, affecting the club so much that they included the info in their official press release announcing the news.
That hasn’t stopped them moving quickly to court replacements though, with Glenn Hoddle lined up for an interview ahead of the south Wales derby against Cardiff.
The Swans are the 5/6 favourites to win that game, a curious price considering they’ve won just once in their last six games.
Especially as it was that form which was a contributing factor in Laudrup being pushed out the door, and also leaves the club 7/1 for relegation this term.
Hoddle has emerged as an early front runner for the vacancy, but his potential employment in south Wales should have Swansea fans racked with fear.
The former Wolves boss made it clear he was ready for another run at top-flight management when another of his former teams, Tottenham, sacked Andre Villas-Boas.
He didn’t get the gig on that occasion yet bizarrely seems to sit at the top of Huw Jenkins’ wish list.
Swansea are well known advocates of possession-based football, and have developed a strong identity in employing managers that sing from that same tactics board.
While Hoddle does fit that bill, he fails in other qualities that Swansea hold dear. The one-time England boss has never settled in a particular dugout for long, with his 157-game, three-year tenure at Chelsea between 1993 and 1996 the longest of his career.
After the soles of Laudrup’s feet became itchy so quickly, Swansea are unlikely to want to employ someone who rarely sticks around too long again.
Hoddle last managed in the top-flight in 2003, with Spurs, and last took charge of a side of any kind in 2006 with Wolves. Such a length of time out of the game is likely to be a concern too as Swansea seek to avoid making another mistake when it comes to picking a manager.
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