Crystal Palace hire Hodgson

LONDON (AP) :

Roy Hodgson returned to football management for the first time since leaving his job as England coach last year, taking over at Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace yesterday as a replacement for the fired Frank de Boer.

The 70-year-old Hodgson signed a two-year contract with his boyhood club.

Palace lost their first four league games of the season without scoring, with their players failing to adapt to a more expansive style of play under De Boer, following his arrival in the off season. The Dutchman was fired on Monday after just 77 days at the club.

Hodgson's four-year spell with England ended in humiliating fashion at the European Championship in 2016 when his team was beaten by Iceland in the round of 16. Within minutes of the final whistle, he announced he'd be stepping down - even though his contract was due to expire anyway.

"I am very excited to be back in club football," Hodgson said, "and it is a long while since I have enjoyed the day-to-day sessions of training."