Millwall boss has “huge admiration” for Roy Hodgson as experienced boss set to end Crystal Palace career

Gary Rowett has expressed his admiration for Roy Hodgson, who will take charge of his final match as Crystal Palace boss today.

The Eagles announced on Tuesday that the hugely experienced manager would be stepping down from his role at the end of the Premier League season.

Palace head to Liverpool today for the finale of the top-flight campaign.

Hodgson, 73, has left the door open for another challenge in football but says he has no plans for an immediate return.

Millwall manager Rowett said: “I’ve got a few good friends in football who played under Roy at Blackburn and spoke very, very highly of his coaching ability and him as a person.

“As a young manager coming through you look at people like Roy with their experience and you can’t help but admire their career and what they’ve done.

“You look at Palace and he has done a fabulous job to keep them in the Premier League comfortably for a good few years. Everyone talks about style of play but not every team can play the same way, you have to find what you think you’re good at.

“You have to be authentic as a football manager and he has certainly done that. He has managed in Sweden and Italy. To keep managing at the age he is takes some doing.

“I’ll be interested to see what Palace do next. He is a difficult man to replace.”