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Roy Hodgson was today confirmed as Liverpool's 18th
manager - but what do you really know about our new gaffer? Here
are 10 facts we've dug up...
1. Roy's 34-year livelihood in management has taken him to 12
clubs in six countries, as well as three spells in charge of
national teams. He likens his career to Russian expressionist
painter Wassily Kandinsky. "I've gone sideways, backwards and then
upwards again. If you did a graph of my career it would look like a
Kandinsky painting."
2. When it comes to literature, Hodgson admits to being a fan of
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Philip Roth, whose titles include
'The Ghost Writer' and 'American Pastoral'. He is also an admirer
of the work of Milan Kunder and John Updike.
3. Roy shouldn't have much trouble getting his views across to
Liverpool's cosmopolitan squad - he is fluent in several languages
including Italian, Swedish and Norwegian. He is also known to speak
good German and some Danish, Japanese, French and Finnish.
4. Hodgson has participated in four UEFA Technical Study Groups
and one with FIFA. He was invited to Euro 2008 as a member of
UEFA's Technical Team.
5. Prior to his achievements in leading Fulham to the Europa
League final, Hodgson had previously described his first job in
Sweden as his finest moment. He said: "My greatest achievement
would have to be the water-into-wine job at Halmstads."
6. Any new signing declaring his 'love' of Liverpool FC should
beware. Hodgson once told the Telegraph newspaper: "We get all
these agents saying their man would 'love to play for you, he's
always loved Fulham Football Club'. What they are really saying is
his wife wants to do a bit of shopping in Harrods. Once you've seen
past that the next question is what sort of wages do you want. They
umm and arr until you press them. Then you just say 'Don't bother
ringing, don't waste our time or yours'."
7. If it wasn't already obvious from the vast number of
countries he has managed in, Hodgson admits to having a love of
travelling. "I'm lucky in that my job has taken me places and I
always try to get out of the hotel and see the churches and
sights."
8. Such was Hodgson's impact at Fulham that one of the
Cottagers' celebrity fans, Hugh Grant, famously quipped at a
film premiere: "I want to sleep with Roy Hodgson!"
9. Hodgson is a bit of a culture vulture. Not only does he enjoy
literature but he is also a connoisseur of foreign
film. Gerard Depardieu's recent French hit 'The Singer' is
amongst his favourites.
10. Roy is a qualified PE teacher and is already well-informed
when it comes to Liverpool culture as his wife Sheila hails from
the city.
