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Careless Le Tissier spills the beans on Hoddle's plans

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SCMP Reporter

SOUTHAMPTON genius Matthew Le Tissier's big mouth may have blown England's World Cup qualification dream.

The inventive midfielder was the surprise packet in England's starting lineup against Italy at Wembley, even though he had unknowingly given his country's game plan to the opposition after an unwise phone call to his brother, Karl.

After a week of tactical hide-and-seek with his Italian counterpart, Cesare Maldini, Le Tissier's phone call home appeared to have spoilt Glenn Hoddle's Wembley tactics.

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Hoddle's master plan featured a recall for Le Tissier and Liverpool's Steve McManaman in a free-roving role behind Alan Shearer, but the ploy was wrecked when the player made a call to family in Guernsey on Tuesday night.

The news leaked out when the words of Karl Le Tissier were broadcast on national radio.

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'What an idiot!' was one FA official's reaction to the news.

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