Roy Hodgson believes he has returned home after sealing his return to football management with Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
The 70-year-old will take his first training session at the club’s Beckenham HQ on Wednesday after signing a two-year contract worth £2.5million a year. Hodgson will also net a bonus of at least £1m if he manages to keep Palace in the Premier League.
The former England manager has wasted no time in putting his stamp on the club by adding right-hand man Ray Lewington to his coaching staff while Sammy Lee — who worked under Sam Allardyce and Frank de Boer — has been shown the door.
All of De Boer’s staff have also left Selhurst Park, while doubts remain over the futures of head of performance Ryland Morgans and goalkeeper coach Martyn Margetson, who were both employed by Allardyce last season.
Boyhood team 🦅
Addicted to football 💉
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— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 12, 2017
Hodgson said: ‘This is very much the club of my boyhood and I remember in my youth watching the club from the terraces at the Holmesdale Road end which gave me such fond memories.
‘In those days I had dreams of playing for the team, then as a coach you think about coaching the team and a lot has happened in between.
‘It is very rewarding to find myself here now as the Palace manager, at a club I have always loved and admired with a huge potential.
‘We are the club of south London, with an enormously large fan base. The ambitions here are realistic and there is an enormous potential for growth and I hope we can achieve our goals.’