Glenn Hoddle yesterday shut the door on Stuart Pearce's international career, put his World Cup faith in the recovery powers of a man they call ‘Sicknote' and told maverick Matt Le Tissier he was too one-dimensional to go to France. Then the England coach spent much of the day discussing Paul Gascoigne's new-found love of Benson & Hedges. When the World Cup finals are around the corner, you have those kind of days. Though Les Ferdinand's inclusion at the expense of Andy Cole will raise the most eyebrows, perhaps Anderton's is the most interesting name among the 30 players who will face Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Belgium over the next few weeks before Hoddle prunes again, this time to 22. The injury-plagued Spurs winger, who has already showed he can make Lazarus-style recoveries when major tournaments are on hand, will go to France if he can prove his fitness in those three games. If he does, then a player who has completed only 11 full games since the summer of ‘Three Lions' could even find himself starting at the expense of Liverpool's Steve McManaman. Hoddle watched both Anderton and le Tissier as Spurs drew with Southampton on Sunday and explained: Darren was working from box to box and really did put in a stint. He was going as strong in the 90th minute as in the first and the actual match fitness is as good as anybody in the squad. Matt's a talented player, too, and on Sunday he did some wonderful things. But then around about the 60th minute the whole thing didn't happen for him. ''That's where Darren has something over him. Matt can use the ball extremely well but while he hasn't had the best of seasons, it's not about that. I picked a squad that has possibilities to be flexible. To me, Matt is pinned down to playing in one position. He's been unfortunate and was very close but at the end of the day hasn't done quite enough to force his way in.'' For Pearce, news his exclusion was no surprise. ''I knew talking to Glenn Hoddle in February that I wouldn't be involved in the World Cup,'' said the Newcastle defender. When you read between the lines and talk to managers you realise the score and I admit I was very disappointed. Anyone who cares about playing for their country like I do would feel that way. But I wish Glenn and the players all the best and I hope they come back with the World Cup in the summer. Full squad: Seaman (Arsenal), Walker (Tottenham), Martyn (Leeds), Flowers (Blackburn), G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Man Utd), Southgate (Aston Villa), Adams (Arsenal), Keown (Arsenal), Campbell (Tottenham), Le Saux (Chelsea), Hinchcliffe (Sheff Wed), R Ferdinand (West Ham), Beckham (Man Utd), Ince (Liverpool), Lee (Newcastle), Gascoigne (Middlesbrough), Batty (Newcastle), Butt (Man Utd), Redknapp (Liverpool), Scholes (Man Utd), Anderton (Tottenham), Merson (Middlesbrough), McManaman (Liverpool), Shearer (Newcastle), Sheringham (Man Utd), Owen (Liverpool), Dublin (Coventry), Wright (Arsenal), L Ferdinand (Spurs). HOW HODDLE'S MEN COMPARE TO HIS REJECTS A look at two of the fortunate 30 and two who miss out based on Opta statistics drawn from league matches this season. Les Ferdinand v Andy Cole Andy Cole's cat must be skulking at the bottom of the garden after Glenn Hoddle's decision to pick Les Ferdinand and not him in the 30 from which he will select his final Wold Cup 22. A look at the two players' seasons make it clear that this selection is based on history rather than form. Even though Cole has not been performing to the best of his ability since the turn of the year, he has nonetheless outperformed Ferdinand in every department. The Tottenham striker has looked better in recent weeks, and both scored and created goals in England's qualifying campaign. He may well not make the final 22. But after his rival has had such a poor season in front of goal, it must gall Cole to be left on the sidelines at this stage. Ferdinand Cole Minutes On Pitch 1598 2844 GOAL ATTEMPTS Goals 5 15 Shots On Target 15 49 Shots Off Target 27 42 Blocked Shots 5 15 PASSING Goal Assists 5 4 Total Passes 624 784 Pass Completion % 65% 65% CROSSING Total Crosses 2 24 Cross Completion % 0% 13% DRIBBLING Dribbles & Runs 52 78 Dribble Completion % 73% 72% DEFENDING Tackles Made 53 54 Tackles Won % 58% 44% Blocks 5 2 Clearances 31 1 Interceptions 7 6 DISCIPLINE Fouls 38 44 Offside 28 46 Yellow Cards 3 5 Red Cards 0 0 Darren Anderton v Matt Le Tissier Meanwhile, Matt Le Tissier's cat was last seen wearing dark glasses and a moustache as it flew out of Southampton airport. While the Channel Islander has not been in the best of form across the season as a whole, in recent weeks he has turned on the style and his hat trick for England B against Russia last month was just part of a virtuoso performance, making more chances than he took. It is hard to know what more he could have done. Yet it is Darren Anderton who has had a hand in just one goal all season long who is still hopeful of making it to France. A favourite with both the current manager and his predecessor, Anderton has struggled under both of them to play regular league football, yet made Euro 96 and could well be in France. His figures hint at his class the pass completion, cross completion, dribble completion and even tackling percentages all put him ahead of Le Tissier. Yet after such a sketchy season having played the equivalent of fewer than eight league games Hoddle will surely demand that Anderton comes through most, if not all, of the forthcoming friendlies to prove his fitness. Matt Le Tissier and Southampton fans are left wondering what he has done wrong not to be given a similar chance. Anderton Le Tissier Minutes On Pitch 652 2051 GOAL ATTEMPTS Goals 0 11 Shots On Target 6 18 Shots Off Target 11 27 Blocked Shots 5 15 PASSING Goal Assists 1 9 Total Passes 312 841 Pass Completion % 80% 76% CROSSING Total Crosses 21 139 Cross Completion % 43% 28% DRIBBLING Dribbles & Runs 14 102 Dribble Completion % 79% 66% DEFENDING Tackles Made 37 50 Tackles Won % 62% 48% Blocks 4 0 Clearances 10 35 Interceptions 9 19 DISCIPLINE Fouls 7 36 Offside 3 19 Yellow Cards 0 6 Red Cards 0 0

THE PACKING ORDER! Danny Kelly explains how 30 will become 22 in time for the World Cup…   WHO EXACTLY is going to be on England's plane to France? There are a few difficult choices for Hoddle to make… In defence, if he decides that Phil Neville is enough cover at both left and right back, or wing back, then he may choose to leave out Andy Hinchcliffe and free up an extra place for a midfielder or forward. But Hoddle gave Hinchcliffe his first cap and seems to like the fellow. Equally, he seems likely to take Adams, Campbell, Keown and Southgate as centre backs but he could be extra slippery and take Dion Dublin as fourth- or fifth-choice central defender, and forward back-up for aerial bombardment of, say, the Tunisians. That would be bad news for Southgate, and, at the other end of the pitch, Les Ferdinand. Midfield is more settled. The two outstanding issues revolve around Darren Anderton and Jamie Redknapp. In Euro 96, Anderton and Steve McManaman, who on paper appear to duplicate each other, both played together and did well. If Anderton shows his fitness, his proven ability at international football will get him onto the plane. About Redknapp, Hoddle has changed his mind and given the Liverpool playmaker time to recover from his injury. The reason is simple; if anything happens to Paul Gascoigne (and something always does!) then who the hell else will provide the passes in England's all-tackling, all-dribbling midfield? Robert Lee and Paul Merson fall short of the talent of McManaman, Anderton and Redknapp; Nicky Butt is too much of Paul Ince and David Batty, and not enough of anything else. Up front, assuming that Michael Owen's magnificent season has overcome Hoddle's apparent problems with him, and that Paul Scholes will go as cover for Teddy Sheringham in the link player role, only one place remains in doubt. There are several arguments for taking Les Ferdinand, despite his disjointed, disappointing season, rather than Ian Wright. Ferdinand is the best header of a ball in the Premiership and therefore brings an extra arrow to England's quiver; he has done quite well at international level and, of course, he has proven that he and Shearer are a deadly combination. Equally, Wright duplicates much of what Owen brings to the party. But, despite all that, Hoddle seems to want to have Wright along, especially for his effect in the dressing room (i.e. the lads think he's a laugh). That probably leaves Ferdinand on the beach for the summer. So, this is how Hoddle's squad will very probably look… Seaman (Arsenal), Flowers (Blackburn) G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Man Utd), Adams (Arsenal), Campbell (Tottenham), Le Saux (Chelsea), Southgate (Aston Villa), Keown (Arsenal), Hinchcliffe (Sheff Wed) Beckham (Man Utd), Ince (Liverpool), Gascoigne (Middlesbrough), Batty (Newcastle), Anderton (Tottenham), McManaman (Liverpool), Redknapp (Liverpool) Owen (Liverpool), Shearer (Newcastle), Sheringham (Man Utd), Scholes (Man Utd), Wright (Arsenal) Left out, therefore: Butt (Man Utd), Dublin (Coventry), L Ferdinand (Tottenham), Walker (Tottenham), Martyn (Leeds), R Ferdinand (West Ham), Lee (Newcastle), Merson (Middlesbrough)

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