Hodgson handed ‘the Impossible Job’

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This article was published 02/05/2012 (5238 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WEMBLEY, England — England’s national team is back in the hands of an Englishman — albeit one who spent the biggest part of his coaching career abroad.

Roy Hodgson was hired Tuesday as the coach tasked with ending England’s 46-year title drought, with the Football Association hoping his international experience and homegrown heritage will blend into a perfect mix. Hodgson is one of the best travelled coaches England has produced, having spent the bulk of his career in obscurity outside of his homeland honing the technical expertise that earned him a four-year deal as the top man in English football.

The avuncular 64-year-old Londoner is the oldest manager to be handed the pressure-packed role often dubbed “the Impossible Job,” where expectations usually exceed reality.

But there is no time for Hodgson to relax in his new Wembley office, having to pick a European Championship squad within two weeks. England then has two friendlies before the first Euro 2012 match against France on June 11.

“England always have to go in tournaments to win them because we are a major football nation,” Hodgson said after agreeing to leave West Bromwich Albion later this month. “I certainly think the players would be very disappointed if we expected anything less of them than to win the tournament.”

Hodgson described being handed the mission as “the pinnacle of success for any English manager.”

“It certainly brings with it a lot of scrutiny and criticism and I have to be prepared for that,” he said. “It’s always a big job to win people over. I’m prepared for criticism.”

The criticism spilled out as soon as the FA announced on Sunday that Hodgson had been approached, overlooking Harry Redknapp, the clear favourite among fans and key players whose Tottenham side is fourth in the Premier League while West Brom is mid-table.

“The only way you can win people over is by doing the job I am confident I can do,” Hodgson said. “It’s always very important the whole country buys into what we do. I’m expecting a lot of support from everybody.”

FA chairman David Bernstein said the organization decided about a month ago to hire Hodgson due to his “experience, track record and ability at building winning teams.”

Hodgson is the first England manager with previous experience in charge of an international side.

As well as coaching national teams of Switzerland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates, Hodgson has had spells in club football in England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Italy, where he was twice in charge of Inter Milan.

— The Associated Press