Roy Hodgson rules out two roles at Bristol City in 26-word statement | OneFootball

Former Crystal Palace and Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has ruled out two things after returning in charge of Bristol City

After 44 years away, Roy Hodgson has returned to Bristol City to take charge of the Robins until the end of the season, but the 78-year-old has ruled out two things upon arriving at Ashton Gate.

Bristol City have decided to dismiss Austrian boss Gerhard Struber after nine months in charge, and have replaced him with veteran boss Roy Hodgson, with the former Liverpool and Fulham boss returning to Ashton Gate for the first time since 1982.

Hodgson had a fairly mediocre playing career, though his coaching career is anything but.

Having managed 21 different sides at club and international level across his 50-year coaching career, with two separate stints in charge of Inter Milan, Crystal Palace, and now Bristol City, he returns to the South-West after 44 years.

It's been a typical Bristol City season by most metrics, with the club on course to finish mid-table once again, with no danger of relegation and little chance of breaking into the play-offs now.

Considering the fact that they finally achieved a top-six finish last season after 17 years, this campaign will come as somewhat of a disappointment, as they have failed to kick on from their success last time around.

Hodgson likely isn't at Ashton Gate for the long haul, as he has already ruled himself out of two roles upon his return.

Roy Hodgson rules himself out of contention for the long-term managerial job and Sporting Director role at Bristol City

Having left Crystal Palace in 2024, it was thought by many, probably including Hodgson himself, that the Eagles would be his last job in professional football.

However, Hodgson has proven that football is well and truly in his blood, and upon getting the phone call from those higher up with the Robins, he has packed his things ahead of a five-week stint in Bristol.

With the Robins needing to bring in someone on a short-term basis for the final stretch of the campaign as they sound out new appointments in the managerial and Sporting Director role, Hodgson was hand-picked for the job.

When asked whether he would be interested in any of the roles on a long-term basis, the 78-year-old was defiant in his answers, saying: "No. No, I'm too old", when first asked about the managerial position, and then saying, "I've never been a Sporting Director, to be honest. I don't even know what is really required of a Sporting Director," when asked about that role.

Hodgson would go on to explain that he only joined on the basis that it was for just these upcoming seven games, where, at the end of that, hopefully the club had sounded out replacements for those two key roles.

Short Bristol City tenure will likely be Roy Hodgson's last in professional football

At 78, few people stay in football for as long as Hodgson has.

Having begun his coaching career back in 1976 with Halmstad in Sweden, it has been quite a journey for the Englishman, who has managed in eight different countries across that period, winning 15 major honours.

Whilst the chances of making that 16 with Bristol City in the next few months are slim to none, it's certainly fitting that he finishes his time in management at the place where it all started for him in his native country.

Expectations of the veteran as he returns to the Robins certainly won't be high, though fans will be hoping he can work some of his familiar magic in the last seven games of the campaign to finish strongly.

Whether his time at Ashton Gate will be his last in football remains to be seen, and whilst it likely will be, you can never truly count him out of a return to the sport that he lives and breathes.