Speaking on his Podcast, Glenn Hoddle has lavished praise upon Jesse Lingard, talking up the West Ham midfielder’s immense fitness.
The England international of course joined the Hammers in January, and Hoddle is clearly impressed with the impact he’s had since joining the London club.
Hoddle says he’s particularly blown away by how fit the Manchester United loanee is after such a long time out of the Red Devils’ squad.
“I don’t think it’s as simple as that. I think what it is there is that Manchester United is a big club and he’s been there all his life. I believe he had a few problems off the pitch as well,” Hoddle said.
“He’s come down to London and he’s gotten away from those mental problems, and it’s almost as if he can breathe now. And what I have been impressed with the boy is that he must have kept himself really fit to come in and play at the top level to be thrown in and start in the team and to play as well as he has played.”
Hoddle is absolutely right.
You’d expect someone who’s played so little football over the past 12 months to struggle to get up to speed, but Lingard doesn’t seem to have had any problems adjusting.
It’s a testament to the midfielder’s professionalism and determination to always work hard that he’s joined West Ham and immediately been able to become a starter, despite a lack of match practice over the past year.
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