There is a certain logic in Glenn Hoddle becoming a Saint. That is often the way with martyrs, and this appears to be how Hoddle still sees himself a year after his comments on reincarnation and the disabled forced him out of the England job. There was little doubt that he would return to football eventually, but his re-emergence more than halfway through the season and with a club struggling to stay in the Premiership is as surprising as it has been sudden. It was thought he would go abroad; instead he is barely an hour from home.
Then again, Southampton always did have a knack of pulling rabbits from hats. Lawrie McMenemy did as much in 1980 when, with a crowd of reporters assuming they had been assembled in order to welcome Alan Ball, in walked Kevin Keegan.
Southampton's present circumstances are less sanguine. Having survived last season after winning only two of their first 17 matches, they are again heading for trouble after six defeats in nine league games.
The board has acted now to avoid being placed in an even more difficult situation with regard to Dave Jones, their manager since the summer of 1997. Once the date for Jones's trial on 17 charges of child abuse had been set for November 27th, the directors had to safeguard the interests of the club without making it appear that they were prejudging the case.
Hence Jones's 12-month leave of absence to allow him to concentrate wholly on preparing his defence. Thus, for a second time, Hoddle has found a vacancy because the previous incumbent needed more time with his lawyers.
To survive Southampton need to average roughly a point a match for the rest of the season. That is Hoddle's challenge, and he will have little time to impose his style and football beliefs on the players. No doubt a posse of reporters and photographers will be on hand in case Hoddle's other beliefs again intrude on the job in hand.
Yesterday Hoddle insisted that he had been misquoted over remarks which were taken to mean he believed that the disabled were being punished for sins in a previous life. At the time he said he had been "misconstrued", "misinterpreted" and "misunderstood".
Either way, he would be wise from now on to keep his beliefs to himself and Eileen Drewery, his faith-healing friend, away from football.
Hoddle's immediate task at the Dell, from which Southampton will hope to move to a new stadium sooner rather than later, will be to come to terms with the local icon, Matthew le Tissier.
As England coach Hoddle was ambivalent where Le Tissier was concerned, picking him for a World Cup qualifier against Italy in February 1997, when a 1-0 defeat at Wembley threatened the team's chances of reaching France the following year, but ignoring the player for the tournament proper after he had scored a hat-trick in a B game against Russia.
Whatever happens, Hoddle and his faithful assistant, John Gorman, will strive to place the emphasis on possession and good passing in an effort to get Southampton back up the table. At 41, Hoddle has time on his side. He was a success at Swindon, where he first ventured into management, and was hardly a failure with Chelsea.
Meanwhile, referee Rob Harris has been suspended for a month for his part in the FA Cup fourth round farce at Tranmere on January 8th. Harris was the official in charge when Rovers had Clint Hill sent off late in the game against Sunderland, but carried on playing with 11 men after bringing on substitute Stephen Frail.
