Premier League clubs need ‘good’ managers – and Roy Hodgson has lived up to that billing during Crystal Palace reign

“What sort of manager? I can answer that very simply, they need a good one. You need a good manager at Premier League clubs.”
That comment came towards the end of Roy Hodgson’s ‘farewell’ press conference on Tuesday, the news of his departure from Crystal Palace after this weekend’s match at Liverpool overshadowing all talk of Wednesday’s derby with Arsenal at Selhurst Park.

The quote stood out. For a number of reasons.

Eagles chairman Steve Parish has made far more sound managerial appointments than bad ones since 2010. It is why Palace will be embarking on an eighth successive Premier League season in August.

Once again Parish, aided by sporting director Dougie Freedman, will need to make the right call on what is shaping up to be one of the most significant summers in terms of change since the Parish-spearheaded CPFC 2010 consortium rescued the club from administration and started a rebuilding job.

So many of an ageing squad are coming out of contract at the start of July that it represents a chance to reshape and refresh.
Any dip on to social media to gauge reaction of Palace fans in the past couple of seasons has seen plenty growing restless – even bored – at Hodgson’s tactics and wanting something new. Especially so after a disappointing result.

Now they will get that.

But Hodgson was absolutely a ‘good’ manager for Palace. They have stayed comfortably clear of the relegation dogfight in all four of his seasons after he replaced Frank De Boer in 2017. And that was achieved without the levels of investment that Sam Allardyce, Alan Pardew or Tony Pulis enjoyed.

I can still remember being asked to go on a podcast for Palace fanzine Five Year Plan to talk about Hodgson’s appointment.
Now I’m a Fulham fan. So you probably aren’t going to get a completely impartial take after his jaw-dropping achievement of getting us to the Europa League final in 2010.

We kicked off in the third qualifying round against Lithuanian side Vetra. It was the start of 19 matches in the competition that included beating Juventus, Hamburg and Wolfsburg.

Hodgson did what I felt he would at Palace. It wasn’t hard to predict. He offers stability, razor-sharp football shrewdness and knows how to drill organisation and discipline into a team.

At both Fulham and West Bromwich Albion he exceeded expectations, spectacularly so in the case of the former. Once he left Craven Cottage things unravelled badly for the west Londoners.

You wouldn’t expect that to be the case at Palace. Parish is heavily experienced and a parting of the ways with Hodgson has been on the cards for a while.

It has allowed time to assess the leading candidates.

There were times when it seemed Hodgson might not last the campaign. There was plenty of chatter on the airwaves that defeat at Brighton in February would spell the end.

Palace were battered on the South Coast but an XG-defying 2-1 win thanks to Christian Benteke’s 90th-minute winner earned vital breathing space.

Hodgson had evaded questions over his future all season., right up until the Eagles issued their statement this week. He ditched his normal Crystal Palace tracksuit for a suit jacket and open-necked white shirt for Zoom duties ahead of the visit of the Gunners.

“I’m pleased, despite the speculation over the last two months, that we’ve been able to keep things on an even keel and ending the season in a very dignified way, and that was important to me,” he said. “I didn’t want to end, if you like, in a way that wasn’t reflective of what we’ve been doing over the last four years.”

Palace was job number 20 for Hodgson in a coaching career that started at Halmstad in January 1976. That includes three national team jobs, four years spent in charge of England. You don’t have such a sustained period at the top level of the game if you’re only ‘good’.

There will surely be an opportunity somewhere to extend his superb career, if the level-headed 73-year-old still has the appetite.

Hodgson had been linked last week with a return to West Brom. Sam Allardyce announced on Wednesday that he turned down a “generous offer” to stay at The Hawthorns. And Hodgson was unwilling to make his farewell from Palace a retirement statement.

“I’m certainly not leaving Crystal Palace with the idea of putting myself back on the market and trying to get myself another job,” he said. “I’m stepping down from the club and stepping away from football for a while. Who knows what the future will bring?

“My thoughts at the moment are some time to myself, some time where I don’t have to go home mulling over the selection problems or problems that might have arisen at the club, and the preparation of football matches.

“It will be nice to go to bed at night not having to think about who we’re playing at the weekend and what problems they’ll cause us.”

Eberechi Eze’s serious Achilles injury is set to rule him out for up to eight months. It is a headache for Palace, but no longer a concern for Hodgson. His biggest struggle will be making travel plans with his wife Sheila when the world has not emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

WHAT OTHER PREMIER LEAGUE BOSSES SAID ABOUT HODGSON’S CAREER

It’s been a pleasure and an honour to share the touchline with a legend like Mr Roy Hodgson.
Jose Mourinho

He is an absolute legend. What he has done in football, for English football, what he transmits as a manager, as a person, the work he has done at different clubs, I think it is remarkable.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta

Over the years our paths have crossed and his longevity has been incredible because there are very few who do it and I think there will be less and less now. It will become a game where people will drop out and managers may decide to take a year off now and then. To continually do it year on year now is very hard.
West Ham boss David Moyes

He is a fantastic fella and will always share time with you – very humble, for what he has done in the game. Him and Ray Lewington are proper football men, their knowledge is excellent. He has been an outstanding servant for many different clubs.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche

No chance [he would be managing at 73]. Hopefully I am healthy and alive then, that will be a great achievement. Roy Hodgson is one of the very, very greats of our business. I couldn’t have more respect for what he did, how he did it and what level he did it. I would not be surprised if he was searching for the next challenge.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

It is said to see Roy leave because he is a fantastic manager, a wonderful person and someone I really admire. He is a gentleman.
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo