Roy Hodgson makes shock return to football management aged 78

Roy Hodgson has made a shock return to football management at the age of 78.

The former England boss, who turns 79 in August, has been appointed as the new interim head coach of Championship side Bristol City, who have sacked Gerhard Struber.

It is Hodgson’s first job since he stepped down from his second stint in charge at Crystal Palace in February 2024 ahead of Oliver Glasner’s arrival at Selhurst Park.

He previously spent a brief and unsuccessful four-month stint as Bristol City manager in 1982, after initially serving as Bob Houghton’s assistant following his first managerial job in Sweden with Halmstad.

Hodgson has had 22 jobs since then during a long managerial career that began 50 years ago.

Assistant manager Bernd Eibler has also left Ashton Gate, with technical director Brian Tinnion relieved of first-team responsibilities to focus on the club’s academy pathway ahead of a new sporting director “conducting a full review of the club’s football operations” that will involve appointing a permanent replacement for Struber ahead of next season.

“I would like to thank Gerhard and, Bernd for their hard work over the past nine months and we wish them all the best,” said Bristol City CEO Charlie Boss.

“Roy’s appointment is about more than the results of the next seven games.

Over the remainder of the season he will help us set the standards and values at the club that we we will need to be successful going forwards.

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“Roy is a vastly experienced coach who has achieved at the highest level and he will support me, our players and our football staff as we build towards being ready for the Premier League.

“We are in the process of appointing a Sporting Director who will have a direct input into the recruitment of a new permanent Head Coach.”
Hodgson takes over a Bristol City side that currently sit 16th in the Championship table with seven matches remaining this term, 12 points above the relegation zone and the same distance from the top six.

His first game in charge will come following the international break on Good Friday away against a Charlton team that sit two places below them.

They host 17th-place Sheffield United on Easter Monday, ahead of games against QPR, Norwich, Southampton, Birmingham and Stoke.

“I have had great conversations with the Board and I am really excited by the opportunity to help until the end of the season,” Hodgson said.

“We will get straight to work and look for a positive performance on Good Friday.”