Glenn Hoddle
A former England midfielder Glenn Hoddle says he realises how “lucky” he is after surviving a cardiac arrest.
Hoddle collapsed at the BT Sport studios in October on his 61st birthday and had a quadruple heart bypass before returning home to recuperate.
“When doctors said it was a quadruple I realised I was a lucky man,” he said.
“Not just because of the synchronisation of the timing on the day, but there was something going on for some time.”
Hoddle, who was speaking to former footballer Robbie Savage on his BT Sport show, said the day of the incident was “a bit of a blur”.
Sound engineer Simon Daniels used CPR treatment to keep the ex-Spurs player alive before paramedics arrived.
“I just thank God that I was in the studios at that time with Simon there and a defibrillator,” Hoddle added.
“I could’ve gone and taken a phone call and been on my own and I wouldn’t be sitting here today.
“What a time to do it, on your birthday as well – some present I gave myself.”
Hoddle banged the back of his head on the floor when he collapsed and said it was “still quite tender” when he tapped it more than three months on.
“[The recovery] has gone really well,” said Hoddle, who could return to work as a pundit for the north London derby between Spurs and Arsenal at Wembley on 2 March.
“I walk about a mile and a half or two miles every day.
“I used to hate walking before because of my bad knee and back. Unless I was chasing that little white ball playing golf, I used to hate walking.”
Hoddle is considered to have been one of the best players of his generation, winning the FA Cup twice and the Uefa Cup with Tottenham and also having spells with Monaco, Swindon and Chelsea. He was capped 53 times by England.
He was a player-manager at Swindon and Chelsea before becoming England manager in 1996. He also managed at Southampton, Tottenham and Wolves. (BBC)
