Roy Hodgson’s year in review as Crystal Palace boss

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Roy Hodgson has arguably been the best manager outside the top six in the Premier League over the last 12 months.

Not many people would have expected Roy Hodgson to lead Crystal Palace to survival when he first took charge of the club back in 2017. Palace under Frank de Boer started the season with four defeats in their first four league games and the Eagles looked destined for relegation.

Hodgson, like his predecessor, struggled initially with just two wins in his first 10 games in charge in all competitions but the former England boss has gone from strength to strength ever since. A 11th place finish that season followed by finishing 12th last campaign has been a remarkable achievement but Palace’s progress over the last 12 months deserves some serious credit.

Palace have played 36 times this calendar year and have earned 53 points, two points behind Arsenal and Wolves, three points behind Manchester United and one above Tottenham Hotspur. The Eagles are placed eighth in 2019’s Premier League table and with the way things are going so far this season, they have a massive chance of finishing in the top nine for the first time ever

Currently 12th in the league, the Eagles have shown incredible heart and dedication so far. Hodgson was always going to prioritise his defence and the way his team are organised throughout the 90 minutes is as good as Palace have ever been.

More than half of the season is still yet to be played but Palace fans should be really proud of their side’s performances over the last 12 months. Hodgson had a number of doubters after his underwhelming spell as England’s boss but it is safe to say that he has proven a lot of people wrong.

At 72 years of age, it is unclear how much longer Hodgson will continue as a manager. His current contract runs out in the summer but Palace will fight hard to extend that. The Eagles will need to have a succession plan for when he decides to step down but until then they should cherish every moment of his time at Selhurst Park.