Hoddle's numbers up

Glenn Hoddle yesterday announced his England starting line-up for the World Cup finals which begin next Wednesday. Or then again, maybe not. The national coach is up there with Ruth Rendell when it comes to laying misleading trails, so those searching for clues to Hoddle's preferred team were only possibly presented with the clinching evidence yesterday when he announced the squad numbers for the players he is taking to France.

The first 11 are: David Seaman in goal; central defenders Sol Campbell, Tony Adams and Gareth Southgate; wing-backs Graeme Le Saux and David Beckham; central midfielders Paul Ince, David Batty and Steve McManaman; forwards Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham.

Yesterday's first XI does have a plausible ring to it, fitting in with Hoddle's preferred 3-5-2 formation if one positions Campbell, Adams and Southgate at the back, even though Gary Neville, number 12 in the squad, does possess a strong claim to be in the side ahead of the penalty villain of Euro 96.

With Le Saux at left wing-back and Ince and Batty holding in midfield, that leaves the puzzle of who takes over from Paul Gascoigne now that his number is up.

The 1-11 theory points away from Beckham. The Brylcreem boy-turned-bottled-blond combed midfield for part of the recent friendly against Saudi Arabia but Hoddle's assessment of him as one of the best crossers of a ball in the country will almost certainly position him at right wing-back.

So that leaves McManaman, who only recently was thought to be out of favour and out of the final 22 because his cocky attitude jarred with Hoddle's temperate outlook. Now he could find himself, after years of being stuck out on the left, playing the position he most prefers. For Gazza read Macca.