Fulham manager Roy Hodgson would love to boss GB Olympic team
Published 19:26 30/08/09 By By James Nursey
Roy Hodgson would love to boss Great Britain’s 2012 Olympic team - but admits Fulham will have to play much better than in Sunday’s defeat at Aston Villa if he is to get the job.
Cottagers’ manager Hodgson, 62, is believed to be the favoured choice of FA chairman Lord Triesman to get the 2012 job after plans to recruit Sir Alex Ferguson were shelved.
And former Switzerland, Finland, Inter Milan and Blackburn chief Hodgson has also become a serious contender to succeed Fabio Capello when he leaves the England job.
But Hodgson is not getting carried away as he was among the potential bosses overlooked when the FA sought replacements for both Glenn Hoddle in 1999 and Kevin Keegan 18 months later.
Yet his stock has risen since his return to England in December 2007 and he could be confirmed as manager of the Olympic side by December.
Hodgson said: “I’ve supposedly been a major contender for the England job in the past but nothing has happened.
“So I’m not getting too excited and there hasn’t been any contact from anyone.
“It is very nice to hear my name linked with the 2012 position but I know nothing more.
“The Olympics is a long way off but whoever gets that job, it is going to be an honour.
“If it came about that people thought I was the right man for the job I’d be happy to take it.”
But Hodgson admitted there were “no positives“ to be taken from Fulham’s dire 2-0 loss at Villa.
The visitors fell behind after just three minutes when John Pantsil headed Ashley Young’s corner past his own keeper Mark Schwarzer following a comedy of errors at the back.
And Hodgson moaned: “I thought it was a poor performance from us.
“The ridiculous goal we gave away after three minutes didn’t help matters.
“It wasn’t the most intelligent thing to put ourselves on the back foot from the start and it was always going to be a mountain to climb.
“It was quite a ludicrous own goal after a couple of silly errors including the keeper slipping over.
“We have to do better in games and myself and the players think we can do better.
“We are not playing to the level we think we can reach.”
