Roy Hodgson wins my vote to be England's next boss after his Fulham heroics

By Mark Lawrenson

Published 05:05 20/03/10

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Roy Hodgson has earned himself legendary status at Fulham – and put himself in the frame for the England job.

Hodgson has made Fulham every football fan’s second team (maybe apart from the odd Chelsea supporter) and that was borne out by the overwhelming feelgood factor across the nation following their Europa League win over Italian giants Juventus.

It is a result that will be remembered for a long time, going down as probably Fulham’s best-ever night and one of the best games in European football history.

That is typical of Hodgson and what he has achieved at Craven Cottage against all of the odds – upsetting the big guns and pulling off the ­impossible job even from the day two years ago when he kept Fulham up on the final day of the season.

Now when you fast forward to Fulham getting into Europe, claiming some major scalps at the Cottage and working miracles on a shoestring you get a sense of Hodgson’s achievements.

The England job should be done on a two-year basis.

You’re never going to build an academy or long-term future. It’s from tournament to tournament.

And when time runs out on Fabio Capello – the Italian says he will stay on for the Euros in two years’ time – then, if he is still managing at the top level, Hodgson should be ­considered.

Everyone laments the dearth of British managers and yet when you consider the jobs that Hodgson, David Moyes and, even Tony Pulis at a different level, have done then there is every reason to feel encouraged and ­optimistic.

Hodgson also has ­pedigree at the top level, working at Inter Milan and with ­Switzerland.

Blackburn didn’t work out, but he has clearly found a great formula at Fulham. Hodgson has developed a reputation for working on a budget and, if anything, he seems to have restored and revived owner Mohamed Al Fayed’s enthusiasm for the club.

He puts on good training sessions by all accounts, keeping them fresh and ­interesting while bringing experience from all over Europe with him.

Hodgson is also a gentleman and that filters down throughout the club which is run well – they look after you and it’s a good place to go.

But another major aspect is that Hodgson has taken players who have been at the crossroads in their careers or even seemingly on the way down and improved them.

Damien Duff and Bobby Zamora have both worked under Hodgson and he’s markedly made them better players.

He signed keeper Mark Schwarzer on a free transfer and what a signing he’s been.

Hodgson has a great eye for a player and is a good man-manager to boot. Just look at Zamora. He had the opportunity to go to Hull last summer and some of the Fulham fans had been getting on his back.

But the Fulham manager put an arm round his shoulder, made him feel wanted, convinced him to stay – and then look at how Zamora took apart Juventus. Utterly destroyed one of the best and most famous teams in Europe.

Zamora deserves to be knocking on the door for England. Is he international class? I have my doubts, but others have continued to get their chance.

Zamora now scores goals, flicks on, holds the ball up and is a real handful, as Juventus discovered to their cost. Hodgson has also taken players like Aaron Hughes, who I worked with at Newcastle, and played and used them to their strengths. A no-nonsense, solid defender.

It’s the simple things for Fulham. Hodgson gets his players to do the simple things.

The best bit of advice I ever had as a footballer when I was a kid was to play simple passes in the first 10 minutes, don’t do ­Hollywood passes.

Then you gain confidence, get stronger and go from strength to strength, rather than attempt the spectacular and see it all go wrong.

That is what Hodgson is all about and football should revel in his success at Fulham.

When the next vacancy comes up at England level, it’s hard to see past Roy just now.

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