Former England manager Roy Hodgson has no plans to make a permanent return to coaching after stepping in as interim head coach of Bristol City for the remainder of the season.
The 78-year-old, who departed Crystal Palace in February 2024, has succeeded Gerhard Struber at the Sky Bet Championship club, where he previously managed for a brief period 44 years ago.
Hodgson’s appointment at Ashton Gate — facilitated by former Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore, now a member of City’s board of directors — marks his entry into nearly five decades of football management, with his first role at Swedish club Halmstad in 1976.
However, after a career that has included numerous clubs — such as Inter Milan, Blackburn, Fulham, Liverpool, and West Brom, along with four years leading England, which concluded in disappointment at Euro 2016 — Hodgson emphasizes that this latest role is focused on the present.
“I think it was the fact that it was a short-term project, a short-term appointment,” Hodgson stated during a news conference on Monday afternoon.
“After the club made their decision to change, I believe they were seeking someone who could step in and was willing to take on the task for seven games.
“Naturally, that appealed to me, as I have stepped away from the intense environment of being a professional coach, but I felt I could manage five weeks — and I might even look forward to the five weeks, which has been the case thus far.”
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<pWhen asked if there was any possibility of the role extending beyond this season, Hodgson, who expressed no interest in a sporting director position at Ashton Gate, replied: "No — I am too old."
The 78-year-old continued: “I hope to find some enjoyment in being here, to re-energize myself a bit by returning to the pitch and working with players, which has always been my desire.”
Hodgson takes charge of a team currently 16th in the Championship, without a victory in their last six matches, which also saw them eliminated from the FA Cup by League One side Port Vale.
His first match at the helm of the Robins will be against Charlton on Good Friday.
“For me, it will be about what occurs on the pitch. I am here to coach the team and assist in achieving results,” Hodgson remarked.
“I will only feel satisfied if the spectators can see that progress is being made.”
Following the decision to dismiss Austrian Struber — who was appointed only last summer — City’s chief executive Charlie Boss believes that bringing in a coach of Hodgson’s experience can only benefit the club moving forward.
“We discussed as a board who we thought could provide not only quality coaching for the remaining seven games but also something that could have a lasting impact — and Roy was the first name on our list,” Boss stated.
“I couldn’t be more pleased that this has come to fruition, and I truly see this as something that can have an impact, potentially extending beyond this season into future years.”
