Editor's Blog: Why Hodgson is the right man

11 February 2011 21:06
DonnyValdo explains why Roy's appointment will benefit the Baggies Like many Albion fans this week I’ve been totally underwhelmed at the thought of Roberto Di Matteo’s successor. For me, the timing of the decision stank. Why dismiss a manager after the transfer window had closed and ahead of the two most important games of the season? The candidates hardly filled me with belief we’d manage to survive after our terrible run either. McInnes was seen as the cheap option by many Albion fans. A coach with potential but no real credentials to be appointed a Premier League coach. Hodgson, just like O’Neill, in all honesty was an outsider. Never really in contention to take over. Or so we thought. Names branded about such as O’Driscoll, Hughton and Allardyce hardly got the pulse rating. However that all changed this morning at about approximately 11am. An email came through from my boss, who’s also a Baggie, saying just two words. “It’s Woy!!!” Suddenly the world seemed a better place. Forget about happened to Hodgson at Liverpool. As soon as he was appointed ahead of King Kenny he was never going to succeed in the Kop’s eyes. Let’s remember what he did at Fulham instead. A club of the size and stature not to dissimilar to our own – albeit with a wealthy benefactor and healthy wage bill. Hodgson, using his knowledge and experience picked up from various national and high-profile sides from across Europe, saved the Cottagers from seeming relegation in his first few months. The next season they finished seventh. The season after reached the Europa League Final. Their progress was significant enough for him to earn the Liverpool job – even touted about as the next England manager. However it was his transformation of average Premier League players which really bodes well for the Baggies in the future. Bobby Zamora, who failed at West Ham and Tottenham, transformed under Hodgson into an England centre-forward. Our old friend Zoltan Gera also shone throughout the European campaign. There’s others too which benefited from Hodgson’s influence, Simon Davies, Danny Murphy, Damien Duff all turned into quality players despite failing elsewhere. If Roy can rub a bit of his magic off on the Albion squad like he did at Fulham, we’ll have more than just survival to look forward to. Welcome to The Hawthorns Roy. Do you think that Roy Hodgson is the right man for Albion? Have your say at Baggies Banter here

Source: FOOTYMAD