Roy Hodgson discusses England failure and speech impediment

Roy Hodgson: Does not doubt England's passion

Roy Hodgson: Keen to return to football

Roy Hodgson has been left “scarred” by how his England reign ended but insists he will not let it haunt him as he seeks a return to football management.

The 69-year-old stepped down as national team boss following the humiliating Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland, and feels the events of the summer may never completely leave him.

“I don’t know whether you ever get over things that cause you pain,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t relate this to deaths in families because it’s a football match. But when something matters a lot to you then unfortunately, where grieving is involved, do you ever really get over it? I don’t know. I think there’s always going to be that scar.”

Earlier in the interview, however, he had spoken about moving on.

“I don’t think one should allow football matches to haunt you,” he said.

“When you don’t get what you want in life, your dreams and hopes are foiled, you have a certain period of grieving, which everyone goes through because we wanted to do well and we believed we could do well.

“It’s a very good football team, this England team, and I think they will do very well in the future. There is only a certain amount of grieving you can do and I certainly did that. I don’t intend to grieve any longer and I certainly don’t intend to let it haunt me.”

The former Inter Milan, Blackburn, Fulham, Liverpool and West Brom manager reiterated his desire to get back into the game.

“I want to be involved in football,” he said.

“I feel good. If an offer comes along which is the right one for me, and the club, then I shall be happy to take it.

“Football is very much in the blood and part of my life and when I am not actively involved I feel like some part of my life is not being fulfilled. I do realise ageism is a factor so it would be easier for me if I was 20 or 30 years younger, but age has never been something I’ve felt.

“I am lucky – physically I have been able to keep in shape and mentally I really don’t feel any different to how I did when I was 40.

“I wouldn’t talk about offers – I don’t think it is right. If it comes to home or abroad, I am fairly open. I have worked abroad for long periods of my life and I enjoyed it so I am not averse to moving abroad but I am not desperate to leave England either.”

 

Hodgson on his speech impediment

Roy Hodgson: Takes the positives despite late blow

Hodgson, who has managed numerous foreign clubs including Malmo, Neuchatel Xamax and Inter Milan, as well as the Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Finland national teams, also joked about the attention his speech impediment received upon his return to his native land.

“I didn’t realise I had a speech impediment until I came back to England,” he said.

“I spent the whole of my life working abroad with no one mentioning it, and as soon as I came back to England I suddenly found out I had a speech impediment.”

Asked if he thought the focus on it was cruel, he replied: “I don’t think anything’s cruel. If you’re so sensitive these days that you see cruelty everywhere, then unfortunately every time a comedian comes on the television you’re going to accuse him of cruelty because that’s the type of humour the English people enjoy.

“I suppose I was aware of it, but nothing like to the extent of the first newspaper headline or (England successor Sam) Allardyce’s recent impersonation.”