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Roy Hodgson has stepped down as Crystal Palace manager, the club announced on Monday. The news comes amid a continued poor run of form and days after he was admitted to hospital when he collapsed at training.
The 76-year-old former England manager has since left hospital and is “doing well,” the club said. Hodgson departed his role just hours before Palace are scheduled to play away at Everton on Monday, where Paddy McCarthy and Ray Lewington will take charge of the side.
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Hodgson was the oldest manager in the Premier League after coming out of retirement last season to help the club avoid relegation in 2022-23, but he struggled to get the most out of his team in recent months.
“This club is very special and means so much to me and has played a big part in my footballing life,” Hodgson said in a statement. “I have fully enjoyed my time here across six seasons, as it has given me the chance to work with top class players and staff doing what I love every day.
“However, I understand, given recent circumstances, it may be prudent at this time for the club to plan ahead, and therefore I have taken the decision to step aside so that the club can bring forward their plans for a new manager, as intended for this summer.”
His final game in charge was last week’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea, when Palace gave up a one-goal lead. Palace have not kept a clean sheet in 13 league matches and are 15th in the Premier League table on 24 points, five points above the relegation zone.
Palace supporters have protested this season against a perceived lack of ambition, although Hodgson responded in December, calling supporters “spoiled in recent times” after they booed the team off following their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth at Selhurst Park.
Subsequent defeats continued to spark anger from the team’s supporters, with fans unfurling banners during games that criticised the club’s owners as well as chairman Steve Parish.
Hodgson began his second spell in charge of Palace in March, having previously managed the team from September 2017 to May 2022, and he sparked an immediate upturn in form upon his arrival with five wins and three draws in his first 10 matches, eventually leading his boyhood club to an 11th placed finish last season.
He signed a new one-year deal in the summer but failed to replicate his success from the last campaign.
“Roy has a special place in Crystal Palace history and this will never be forgotten,” chairman Parish said.
“After four years in which he led the club to maintaining Premier League status season after season, he once again joined us nearly a year ago to steady the ship, and worked wonders. That he then agreed to continue in the summer speaks volumes about his commitment to our club. Quite simply, we owe our continued Premier League status to Roy.”
Hodgson has coached 22 different teams in eight countries including the likes of Liverpool, Inter Milan, Malmo FF and the Switzerland national team.