Watford have confirmed the appointment of former Crystal Palace and England manager Roy Hodgson. The 74-year-old joins the Premier League strugglers having left Selhurst Park in the summer.
Watford Appoint Roy Hodgson
We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Roy Hodgson as the club's manager.
Welcome to Watford, Roy!
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 25, 2022
Experience to Avoid Relegation
Watford will be hoping that the experience of Roy Hodgson will be enough to keep them in the Premier League.
In his four seasons at Palace, the veteran guided them to an 11th, 12th and two 14th placed top-flight finishes.
The former England manager has also enjoyed successful spells all around Europe during his managerial career, along with roles at four different national teams. Hodgson has also managed five Premier League clubs with varying degrees of success.
His experience in England’s top tier could become vitally important as the Hornets strive to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
However, he knows he will have his work cut out. Watford are currently without a win in nine games in all competitions, losing eight, and have gone 30 top-flight games without a clean sheet.
The club also have disciplinary issues. Since the start of the 2016/17 season, the Hornets have picked up 18 red cards. Only Arsenal (19) have accumulated more in that time.
Ranieri Replacement
Claudio Ranieri was only dismissed as Watford head coach on Monday after just three months in charge but, in typical Hornet’s style, the club have after in quickly in finding a replacement for the Italian.
The former Leicester City manager was unable to steady the ship with the Hornets dropping into the bottom three for the first time this season with defeat against relegation rivals Norwich City.
Roy Hodgson has Worked Under the Pozzo Family Before
When Hodgson took charge of Udinese in June 2001, it came under the ownership of the Pozzo family. However, the head coach lasted just six months before being sacked in December following comments about regretting taking up the role.
He, and the Pozzo’s, will be hoping for a different outcome this time around.
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