Boss: One year on and at last the players have a genuine belief

But while most check in to The Priory, Glenn Hoddle has found his salvation at the tranquil surrounds of Saints' Staplewood training ground.

Shielded from the outside world - and in particular the national media who hounded him out of the England job - Southampton has proved the perfect setting for Hoddle's rehabilitation into football.

He always insisted his comments about the disabled were misrepresented by tabloids that conducted a witch-hunt against him, eventually forcing him out of the job he loved.

For the first time since joining Spurs as an apprentice, he found himself out of football.

He took a year out, turning down several management offers before finally deciding the time and place were right for a return with Southampton.

Now a year on, he admits he has been surprised by the standard of player and the quality of life at South-ampton, as well as the potential at the club with a new stadium just months away.

And, while fans seem to take it for granted he will head for his beloved Tottenham as soon as George Graham goes, Hoddle insists he is happy with his lot.

He said: "I have really enjoyed it here, perhaps even more than I thought I would. It is a good, healthy and friendly club - and, with the new stadium, there are exciting times ahead.

"I had other offers while I was out of work but the timing was not right. This opportunity came along at just the right time for me.

"It was the first year I'd been out of the game since I was 16 and probably did me good to have a break, although obviously not under those circumstances.

"The England job was good but one of the downfalls was missing the day-to-day involvement.

"I was away from that for three-and-a-half years, so I am enjoying that again.

"I was itching to get back and, when the job came up, it was right for me. Maybe six months earlier, it would not have been.

"The timing was good. My energies were up, the incentive was there. It was perfect.

"It is not the same glare of the media as the England job obviously, so, in that sense, it was probably a perfect situation for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it."

Once the initial blaze of publicity died down, Hoddle worked quietly and efficiently with a quality squad, building the players up into a solid unit with aspirations beyond mere survival.

He has improved tactics and technique of individuals and the overall team so that Saints are now showing great signs of pro-gress both on and off the field.

He added: "A lot of hard work has been put in by everyone at the club and we are definitely improving our performances.

"I did not know that much about the players when I came here but I have been impressed by them. I saw a lot of quality and that they could improve.

"The spirit when I arrived was good and it's important to maintain that. A lot has changed - hopefully for the better!

"We've worked hard to overcome the mental thing and get away from being a side fighting relegation into a midstream one.

"That is something I have drummed into the players since the summer, because last season was all about staying up which we did relatively comfortably.

"The frustrating thing is that, this season, we've not got enough points on the board for my liking. But I can see a genuine belief there now and we are progressing all the time.

"I really feel we have a set of players who are improving all the time. That is encouraging.

"We have not got 11 who stand out above any others. We have set standards right across the squad, which is quite healthy.

"It means we can mix and match and use the full squad.

"We can bring in fresh legs and minds without taking anything away from the team.

"We can also pick horses for courses, tactically picking the best side for a specific job.

"The players have grown into what we're trying to achieve and all the coaching staff are aware of what we're aiming for.

"With the new stadium, there is a lot of potential here.

"I would not say that this club is just a stepping stone for me.

"Who knows what will happen in the future? I can't control things out of my grasp, so I don't worry about them.

"My thoughts are about South-ampton, the next game, the next result, the next problem.

"I don't even think about Tottenham. It' just speculation.I just get on with my day-to-day life of picking teams and organising training sessions.

"That is a challenging enough job. My next port of call is Sheffield Wednesday this week-end. That is as far as I am going.

"There is no point in thinking too far ahead in football.

"What I do know is that I have enjoyed my year here and I feel we are making real progress."