Crystal Palace has reappointed Roy Hodgson as manager until the end of the Premier League season. Hodgson, 75, returns to lead his boyhood club for a second time after Palace fired Patrick Vieira last week after a 12-game winless streak. The former England manager takes over with the Eagles struggling for Premier League survival, three points above the drop zone with 10 games remaining.
“It is an honor to be invited to return to the club that has always meant so much to me, and to be tasked with the critical mission of turning the team’s fortunes around,” Roy Hodgson said after being reappointed the Crystal Palace manager. “Our single goal now is to start winning games and accumulating the points required to maintain our Premier League position.”
“I would like to welcome Roy and Ray back to the club,” Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said. “We are obviously in a very challenging period but we believe that Roy’s and Ray’s experience, knowledge of the club and players, alongside Paddy can help fulfill the immediate requirement of keeping us in the league.”
When the Premier League resumes on April 1 following the international break, Palace will play Leicester. Paddy McCarthy, who guided the Eagles to a 4-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, will be Hodgson’s deputy manager, while Ray Lewington will return as first-team coach. Dean Kiely will stay as Palace’s goalkeeping coach.
“Patrick Vieira’s departure disappointed me. But Roy Hodgson has the experience, having been in this scenario before and knowing many of the players. Palace wanted a change; not every supporter will be pleased because you go on and want to adopt, which the club has done in recent years,” Clinton Morrison said. “But they’re in trouble, and they believe Hodgson can help them get out of it. So you send him your best wishes, and maybe he can keep Palace in the Premier League. It’s only a temporary situation; perhaps the boss they desired was unavailable. With his affinity for the club – he knows it, he is close to the chairman and the people – I believe it was always going to be Hodgson.”
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