Manager: Roy Hodgson

Coauthored by Seth Johnson and Stephen Kirchner

Obtained from Google search “Roy Hodgson,” labeled for noncommercial reuse

English Manager Since: May 1, 2012

English National Team Record: 29-13-7 (59.18 winning percentage)

Most Recent Club: West Bromwich Albion (2011-12)

Formation: 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 (Hancock, 2016)
Coaching Experience: Hodgson has been a manager since 1976, coaching a total of four national team squads. Prior to his arrival at the helm in England, Hodgson managed Switzerland, Finland and United Arab Emirates (The FA, 2016).

Projected Tournament Outlook:

Since taking over the post in 2012, Roy Hodgson has taken the English national team on a roller-coaster ride. After outperforming expectations in the 2012 Euros with an injured squad and short-term preparation, Hodgson took the Three Lions to third in the FIFA World Rankings, but by the end of July 2014, after dropping out of the World Cup group stage, the team fell to 20^th in the world—the worst ranking since May 1996 (England Football Online, “World Rankings,” 2016). As Euros approach in 2016, however, England has risen back to No. 10 after winning all 10 qualifying matches with 31 goals, while goalkeeper Joe Hart has only allowed three tallies in his nine matches (Bagchi, 2016).

After tempered expectations in 2012 due to the close of the “Golden Generation,” injuries and short preparation time for Hodgson, England exceeded tournament projections and cruised into the World Cup in Brazil with new life (Olley, 2012). But after an opening 2-1 loss to Italy, another 2-1 defeat at the hands of Uruguay and a draw with Costa Rica, Hodgson’s Three Lions finished at the bottom of Group D and were eliminated from the group stage for the first time since 1958. As a result, now back on the world stage in 2016, Hodgson faces the pressure once again to outperform expectations with a crop of players that have more genuine promise than they have had for years (Bagchi, 2016).

The biggest question in the air—aside from performance—for Hodgson will be his tactics and selection of formation. Since taking over in 2012, Hodgson utilizes a 4-2-3-1 on most occasions, including the 2014 World Cup, but now that competition and pressure have ramped up, he may switch to a 4-4-2 for Euros. A 4-4-2 would not necessarily be aesthetically pleasing and is generally considered an antiquated way to dominate games with possession, but when used properly, would give England an advantage in its front that could implement the usage of depth at striker. For example, with a suitable blend of players at the front, like Leicester City in the English Premier League this season, the 4-4-2 would give Hodgson the opportunity to attack more often with his strong front line (Hancock, 2016).

How to cite this article: “Manager: Roy Hodgson” Written by Seth Johnson and Stephen Kirchner (2016), European Cup 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/european-cup-2016-guide/english-national-team/manager-roy-hodgson/ (accessed on (date)).