Let me tell you what I love about Roy Hodgson not just as a manager, but as a person who lives football the way some of us wake up for a sunrise run. He’s not flashy. He’s steady. A man who grew up in Croydon, watching Crystal Palace from the terraces with the kind of hunger only kids have brimming with dreams bigger than themselves. And that kid, bless him, found his way back home one day. That’s the kind of full-circle stuff that gives you goosebumps.
Humble Beginnings in South London
Roy Hodgson early life wasn’t gilded or glamorous. His mum baked bread, his dad drove buses. He played for school teams, but none of that glamour. He taught PE, played non-league football, and just chipped away. When friend and former schoolmate Bob Houghton pointed him to Halmstad in Sweden, it was a lifeline to something bigger.
A Tactical Pioneer in Sweden
Imagine rolling into a country where no one expects anything, and dropping anchor by winning the league with a club that everyone thought would go down. At 29, he tossed in tactics that felt cutting edge for the time zonal marking, 4‑4‑2, pressing. Shocked some people. But Swedish football never forgot. He went on to build Malmö’s first serious title run in nearly a decade five in a row, just to show what he could do.
The International Whisperer
He then took Switzerland to their first World Cup in ages in 1994 and even got them into Euro ‘96. He did similar with Finland, pushing them to their highest-ever FIFA ranking at the time. It’s never been about flash for Roy, it’s always been about steady lifting little by little, creating upward momentum.
Club Football From Inter to Fulham
He managed in Scotland, Denmark, Italy (Inter Milan twice!), and even a second stint in Serie A before landing at Fulham in 2007. That season, Fulham was gasping for air near the bottom of the Premier League no one gave them much hope. What Roy Hodgson did was something you don’t see every day: he took them to the Europa League final. Against Juventus of all teams. Everyone remembers that comeback at Craven Cottage 4 goals, no reply. Unbelievable stuff. He netted Manager of the Year for that alone.
Riding the Big Waves with England
Everyone says managing England is a pressure cook. Roy took charge in 2012, gently waded into the fading golden generation, and did okay. Reached Euro 2012 quarters, struggled at the 2014 World Cup, then qualified for Euro 2016 in perfect form but then came that day, Iceland happened, and he left. But every time he worked with that team, you could see he wasn’t chasing headlines, just doing the homework, believing in process over promise.
Back Home to Crystal Palace A Dream Realized
If you’re from Croydon and you loved Palace as a boy, it’s like coming home with building bricks in your pocket. He started as a youth player, fell off the radar, only to return as manager years later. That moment spoke to me the power of sticking with your roots. He steadied the club, got good league finishes, helped launch careers of players like Wan‑Bissaka, Eberechi Eze, Tyrick Mitchell. He carved his mark quietly, sincerely.
Final Bow A Bit of a Tough Exit
He returned for a second spell as manager in 2023, but times were rough injuries, form slumps, plus that heartbreaking 5‑0 against Arsenal. And then came the health scare. He walked away in early 2024, less than a year into it all. Even while acknowledging he needed to let the club plan ahead, the boy from Croydon still signed off with grace and respect.
Why Roy’s Journey Feels Real
- He’s not the flashy, scathing coach you see on YouTube clips. He’s the coach who spent decades sweating without fanfare. I respect that on a human level.
- He built things from the ground up. There’s love in taking a mid-table club and giving them a fight. There’s love in whispering belief to players who need it most.
- He came home. That’s the part that gets me most. A kid from south London comes back and stands on that pitch again, not because of fame, but because it means something to him.
Final Thoughts Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson isn’t that fiery headline-grabbing coach. He’s the one who stays calm when others lose their cool; who watches young talent grow, then lets them run; who comes back where it all started not with champagne, but with working boots on. Writing about him feels human, because he is human. No frills. No fireworks. Just decades of showing up, adapting, caring, and walking home again.
