Crystal Palace have confirmed the re-appointment of Roy Hodgson as manager until the end of the season.
Hodgson, 75, will come out of retirement to replace Patrick Vieira, who was sacked on Friday after a 12-match winless run.
“It is a privilege to be asked to return to the club, which has always meant so much to me, and to be given the important task of turning the team’s fortunes around,” Hodgson said.
“Our sole objective now is to start winning matches, and to get the points necessary to ensure our Premier League status.
“Crystal Palace is known for its fighting spirit, and I have no doubt that all our supporters will fight with us, beginning with the visit of Leicester City a week Saturday.”
Palace have not won a match in 2023 and head into the international break just three points above the relegation zone. That stretch has included defeats to Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and draws with Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle.
Indeed there was a sense Palace’s fixtures were about to turn a corner, with all of their next five matches against teams below them in the Premier League and fellow relegation candidates.
Chairman Steve Parish had said it was with “enormous regret” that the decision had been made to axe Vieira, who was initially successful in transforming their playing style from the more pragmatic approach taken under Hodgson in his previous four years at the club. That spell ended with a guard of honour in his final match at Selhurst Park.
Under Vieira, the goals had finally dried up, with the Eagles scoring just three times in their 12-match winless run. That means Hodgson’s task is starkly different to the one he inherited when he took over from Frank de Boer in 2017 – then, Palace had played seven, lost seven, and scored no goals, but shoring up the defence was the priority.
Now, of the Premier League’s bottom half clubs only West Ham have conceded fewer, which suggests Hodgson’s first job is to get an attack of Odsonne Edouard, Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise firing again.
It is not the first time the veteran head coach has made a comeback, briefly taking charge of Watford in 2022 – though he was ultimately unable to keep them in the Premier League.
However, a lifelong association with Palace – born in Croydon, Hodgson played for the club’s youth set-up and he has spoken of “watching the club for 70 years” – has lured him back to the top flight, where Palace hope they will stay.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/XDC2jrV
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