FRANCE 98 – Match preview n°16

England will find out just how badly they miss Paul Gascoigne here Monday when Glenn Hoddle’s World Cup novices take on Tunisia. Bad boy Gascoigne was booted out of the squad before England reached French shores. His absence has cast a question mark over Hoddle’s ability to deliver on his promise to bring the World Cup back home.

Without the gifted Geordie life is duller on and off the field and the squad is without a single player with World Cup experience-and only a handful who chill a defender’s spine. But Hoddle is convinced he has the ammunition at his disposal to make up for the Middlesbrough midfielder’s absence. Asked who he is counting on to unlock defenses and find space for the likes of striker Alan Shearer, Hoddle had his answer pat. ” I still feel we’ve got people – like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Darren Anderton, Paul Merson and Steve McManaman – with enough offensive ability, “ he said. ” They were ahead of Paul Gascoigne at the stage where he was with his fitness and what he could have done in the World Cup. “ Hoddle was left with no option but to bar Gascoigne whose battle for fitness was a lost cause.

Tunisia hammered Wales 4-0 just nine days before they take the field against England in Group G of the tournament which also includes Colombia and Romania. ” That win showed the team has found an effective pattern in attack and is tactically ready, “ said Tunisia’s long-serving Polish-born coach Henri Kasperczak, who will join French club Bastia when his contract expires after the World Cup. ” England have a squad of players who are physically and technically very strong and are one of the favourties to win the World Cup, “ he said.

In their only previous appearance in the World Cup finals, Tunisia did Africa proud in Argentina in 1978. They held West Germany to a 0-0 draw and beat Mexico 3-1. And Tunisia held England to a 1-1 draw in their last meeting in 1990. Hoddle is aware that no side is easy in France, pointing to Morocco’s 2-2 draw with Norway, regarded as the form side of Europe after their brilliant run in qualification and warm-up matches.

Hoddle is counting on Newcastle striker Shearer to carve up the Tunisian defence. ” If you’re going to do well you’ve got to hit the back of the net and no one in our country is better and more proven at international level in doing that than Alan Shearer, “ he said. Hoddle believes England are better prepared than any team sent to compete in the World Cup. ” We want to get off to a flier and I think it is going to be the toughest World Cup to win, “ he said. Striking prodigy Michael Owen has impressed Hoddle, who must decide whether the 18-year-old Liverpool scoring machine replaces Teddy Sheringham in England’s starting line-up. ” Owen adds a whole different dimension to our play, “ said Hoddle. ” If he comes on from the bench he gives us something different. If he starts, his pace is dangerous. “ He has already broken the record for the youngest player to score for England.