Hoddle banks on experience

Hoddle has brought in players of proven ability

BBC Sport Online expects Spurs to enjoy better times under Glenn Hoddle.

Glenn Hoddle is ready for his first full season in charge of Tottenham and he is aiming to lift the gloom from White Hart Lane and bring back the glory.

Spurs fans have not had much to celebrate in recent years.

Hoddle's predecessors, George Graham and Christian Gross failed to inspire the team or the supporters.

Graham did manage to win the Worthington Cup in his first season in charge but could not win over the fans because of his Arsenal history.

  Summer transfers

IN

Teddy Sheringham (Man Utd)
Gustavo Poyet (Chelsea)
Goran Bunjevcevic (Red Star Belgrade)
Christian Ziege (Liverpool)
Shwan Jalal (Hastings)

OUT

Sol Campbell (Arsenal)
Ian Walker (Leicester)
Luke Young (Charlton)
Neale Fenn (Peterborough)

Spurs legend Hoddle will not face the same hostility and that is a major advantage.

Teddy Sheringham has followed in Hoddle's footsteps by returning to White Hart Lane, and is sure to get a similarly warm welcome.

He will add experience to the side, as will Gustavo Poyet, who joined from Chelsea.

Hoddle has shown shrewd judgement by bringing in two players of proven ability - and both on free transfers.

Christian Ziege has arrived from Anfield, and the spine of the side is completed by the capture of Goran Bunjevcevic, who has been brought in to replace Sol Campbell.

Planning for the future

Undoubtedly, the new acquisitions are impressive additions to the team.

But, with the majority of the new signings approaching the twilight of their careers, fans might wonder if this is a quick fix rather than a long-term plan for success.

But Tottenham are unlikely to challenge for the title this term, and Hoddle says he is planning for the future and he is hoping the fans will remain patient.

We have some good youngsters here and several of them will play a part in our future but perhaps some of them are not quite ready

Glenn Hoddle

"We have brought in a lot of experience and I think we can do well," says Hoddle,

"But I see my job here as a four- or five-year plan and it would be good to start by improving our league position and maybe winning a cup in the first season.

"We have some good youngsters here and several of them will play a part in our future but perhaps some of them are not quite ready to win yet at the top level.

"Our supporters are interested most in what happens this season, not the ones after that.

"They want success and that thinking has influenced me in the signings we have made.

"Teddy Sheringham is still a class act. He can make others tick and he is such an asset with his aerial ability.

"That goes for Gus Poyet, too. He is also a great header of the ball, loves scoring goals as he consistently showed at Chelsea and has great experience."