LIVERPOOL'S 18TH MANAGER

LET's WELCOME THE NEW GAFFER 
ROY HODGESON

10 Things about Hodgeson

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.

His History if you're interested.