Australia
Argentina 
Austria 
Brazil 
Canada 
Germany 
Ireland 
Italy 
Malaysia 
Mexico 
New Zealand 
Poland 
South Africa 
United Kingdom 
United States Roy Hodgson putting himself through Crystal Palace pressure is 'unbelievable'
Highlights
- Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson's return to Selhurst Park has turned sour as the team's poor form has them hovering above the Premier League's relegation zone.
- Hodgson initially made a positive impact, securing safety during the back end of the 2022/23 season, but the team's performances have declined this term.
- Crystal Palace may be waiting for the right candidate to replace Hodgson, with Steve Cooper being considered as an outstanding option.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson will be hurt after his side’s recent run of poor form, as journalist Dean Jones labels his decision to return to management at Selhurst Park as “unbelievable”.
The Eagles have endured a rotten run of results, which has seen them slip down the Premier League table and into a potential relegation battle during the second half of the 2023/24 season.
Palace have suffered a spate of injuries throughout the campaign but will still feel they should be pushing closer towards the top half of the table than the relegation places. Hodgson returned to management in south London in 2023, but his career could end in disappointing circumstances unless his side can turn the tide.
Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace has turned sour
Hodgson’s initial impact at Crystal Palace was celebrated throughout the club after the experienced head coach made a positive difference to the side’s fortunes. The 76-year-old was re-appointed as the Eagles head coach in March 2023 after replacing Patrick Vieira, who had recently led the side to 12 games without a victory.
Upon Hodgson's arrival, Palace sat three points above the relegation zone with ten games to go of the 2022/23 season. However, the former England head coach earned ten points from a possible 12 in his first four games before a 4-3 victory over West Ham United in his sixth match, meaning that the south London outfit all but secured safety by hitting the 40-point mark.
Hodgson’s ability to turn the tide led to the Palace board offering him a one-year contract to stay for the 2023/24 season, something the experienced manager accepted. But having played 23 matches this term, the capital club could be dragged into a relegation battle. Before gameweek 24 kicked off, they were just five points above the drop zone.
Palace’s chances of getting a positive result at Chelsea on 12th February have been dealt a hammer blow after winger Michael Olise was ruled out for around two months with a hamstring problem. The 22-year-old joins Eberechi Eze on the treatment table, who could be unavailable for around three weeks, having suffered a muscular tear.
|
Roy Hodgson - Premier League managerial record | |
|---|---|
|
Matches |
415 |
|
Wins |
136 |
|
Draws |
102 |
|
Losses |
177 |
|
Goals For |
480 |
|
Goals Against |
583 |
|
Manager of the Month awards |
4 |
|
Stats according to the official Premier League website, correct as of 09-02-24 |
Dean Jones - Crystal Palace are ‘waiting for the right candidate’
Jones believes that Hodgson will hate that people are doubting his skills as a manager amid the side’s poor run of form. The journalist also suggests that the Eagles could wait for the right candidate to become available at Selhurst Park. Jones told GIVEMESPORT:
“I think Hodgson will be hurt in terms of his ego. He hates losing so much, and he’ll hate that people are doubting him as a manager. But he's at an age where it's honestly quite unbelievable that he's still putting himself through this. Hodgson could easily be sitting on a beach somewhere. You watch games like the 4-1 defeat at Brighton, and you think he'd probably be better off there because it doesn't look like a good choice to keep him in charge. It must be tough for him to relate to players and situations.
“I think Crystal Palace are just waiting for the right candidate to become available. But they won't sever ties before that because it's pointless if nobody else could come in and do any better.”
Crystal Palace manager news, including claims on Steve Cooper and Julen Lopetegui
Hodgson’s contract at Selhurst Park is due to expire in the summer, so Crystal Palace will be looking for his successor. The Eagles may be reluctant to terminate the south London-born head coach’s contract, but they must prioritise the club’s survival in the Premier League. Jones has recently told GIVEMESPORT (28th January) that ex-Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is the ‘outstanding candidate’ to replace Hodgson at Selhurst Park.
The Welshman was relieved of his duties at The City Ground in December 2023 but could be pinpointed as the ideal coach to take over from the experienced manager in the summer. Cooper, famed for working with youngsters following his U17 World Cup triumph as England manager in 2017, would suit Palace’s youthful squad and could take advantage of the club’s £20m academy, which opened in 2021.
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail has reported that the capital club are considering the appointments of former Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Julen Lopetegui, Mainz’s Bo Svensson and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna. However, Palace won’t rush into a change and could wait until the end of the 2023/24 season to see which managers are interested in the vacant post at Selhurst Park.
