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    Golden Oldies: Who will Roy Hodgson follow as the Premier League's oldest managerial appointments?

    Michael GrahamMichael Graham26 January 2022
    Roy Hodgson in his spell as Crystal Palace manager

    Roy Hodgson in his spell as Crystal Palace manager

    What company does Roy Hodgson keep in the list of oldest ever managerial appointments in the Premier League?

    Roy Hodgson has been confirmed as Watford's new manager and, at 74 years old, that makes him the oldest man to ever be appointed in the Premier League.
    However, if you were thinking clubs turning to grizzled golden-oldies was unusual, then think again.
    Here, we take a look at the other men who were tempted to the Premier League when they could have been drawing their pension instead.

    Sir Bobby Robson - 66

    The former England boss arrived at Newcastle via spells at PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona in September 1999.

    Perhaps Newcastle, his boyhood club, were the only ones who could have tempted him back into club management at that stage of his career.

    He stayed five years, guiding the Toon into the Champions League twice and to the UEFA Cup semi-finals.
    Sadly, Sir Bobby died in 2009 aged 76 after a long battle with cancer.

    Dick Advocaat - 67

    Took over at Sunderland in March 2015, a day after the sacking of Gus Poyet with the Black Cats one point above the relegation zone.

    The former Rangers boss was a surprise choice having never managed in the Premier League before, but he guided Sunderland to survival.
    Advocaat left after keeping them up but had a change of heart and signed a one-year contract after Sunderland fans took the novel approach of starting a fund to send his wife flowers.
    However, after a tough start to the 2015/16 campaign, Advocaat resigned in October before going on to have a third spell in charge of the Dutch national team. He later took charge Sparta Rotterdam, Utrecht, Feynoord and Iraq.

    Guus Hiddink - 69

    The former Holland boss was named interim Chelsea manager in 2015 following the sacking of Jose Mourinho and guided them on a 12-game unbeaten run, finishing 10th.

    Hiddink had also managed the Blues for the final three months of the 2008/09 campaign.

    His nomadic coaching career saw Hiddink take in stints with the China Under-21 team and Curacao before announcing his retirement last year.

    Roy Hodgson - 70

    After being sacked as manager of England after a disastrous Euro 2016, Hodgson spent over a year out of the game before landing the job as boss of his boyhood club Crystal Palace.
    He inherited a team without a point or a goal from their opening four matches, but few were surprised when he guided them to the comfort of mid-table.
    He would stay at Selhurst Park for four years, leaving last summer with the Eagles established in the top flight.

    Claudio Ranieri - 69

    Ranieri made a surprise return to the Premier League when Watford turned to the man who guided Leicester to their unforgettable title success in 2016 after sacking Xisco Munoz.

    He had coached Nantes, Fulham, Roma and Sampdoria between those two jobs, so clearly he is not the kind of man who sees his age as a barrier to keeping busy.

    Just 14 days shy of turning 70, though, the Italian was sacked by Watford having lost 11 of his 14 games at the helm to be replaced by Hodgson - a man four years his senior.

    Roy Hodgson - 74

    When asked by reporters if he was retiring when he left Crystal Palace at the end of the 2020/21 season, Hodgson replied: "One never knows.
    "I really am stepping down from the club and stepping away from football for a while. But who knows what the future will bring. It is a never say never moment."

    It's fair to say that no one, probably even himself, expected to see him back in a dugout, though.

    However, with Watford in desperate need for a safe pair of hands, Hodgson is back in the Premier League.

    READ MORE: 18 games to save Watford: History suggests Roy Hodgson can do it

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