Hodgson’s ‘hunger’ at Palace unbelievable – Cahill
Gary Cahill feels Roy Hodgson’s decision to extend his contract as Crystal Palace manager for another year is good news for all concerned with the club.
Hodgson is the oldest manager in Premier League history and will turn 73 in August this year but that has not stopped the Eagles signing him up for another season in the Selhurst Park dugout.
Born in Croydon, the veteran tactician has been in management since 1976, working at clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Liverpool and West Brom, as well as a stint in charge of Switzerland and four years at the England helm.
He has helped Palace to 11th in the current Premier League standings and almost certainly another campaign of top-flight football after replacing Dutchman Frank de Boer early in the 2017-18 season.
Gary Cahill hails Roy Hodgson’s ‘incredible appetite for football’ after signing new Crystal Palace contract
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Cahill, who was signed by Hodgson in the summer of 2019, has been impressed with what he has seen this term and hailed his boss’s “appetite for the game” at the age of 72.
“It is great for the lads that he has signed an extension, it is the stability for the club and players for next season,” he added. “His drive to still be involved and still be hungry to come in every single day is unbelievable, it is crazy, I’m not sure that will be me.”
Hodgson’s ability to remain level-headed regardless of whether things are going well or badly is a trait that has served him well this season.
The south Londoners were seemingly plunging towards to wrong end of the table when on a seven-match winless run but have responded with three successive victories to put plenty of daylight between themselves and the bottom three.
The venerable manager has worked wonders in the face of an injury crisis and relatively small squad this season, and will surely get the chance to address that in the summer.
