ROY: RODGERS MY TIP FOR ENGLAND

MIKE WALTERS

ROY HODGSON bows out at Vicarage Road tipping rival manager Brendan Rodgers as a future England coach.

Before the final home game of his ill-starred Watford reign, Hodgson stated the case for Rodgers – who began his managerial career with the

Hornets in

2008 – to wear the Three

Lions blazer when Gareth

Southgate’s time is up.

Hodgson said: “He’s a very good manager, his record is excellent and, what’s more, he’s done it at big clubs, places where it’s not easy to work.

“He’s done well at

Liverpool, he’s done well at Celtic and now at Leicester City, who had risen into the elite in recent years, he’s kept them among the elite. “We’re blessed in this country with a number of good managers and coaches, so on the day Gareth decides to call it a day or move on, there won’t be a shortage of candidates. “I wouldn’t dismiss

Brendan’s chances in any way – whether or not he would want to do it is another matter, but he’s certainly got the capability, so who knows?” Hodgson will hand over to Rob Edwards (inset), the coach Watford have headhunted from Forest

Green Rovers to take over. “I know who he is, I know what he has done, but quite frankly, I wouldn’t recognise him if I saw him,” said Hodgson (above).

“I have never seen him before. If he wants to speak to me, then I will be more than happy to talk.

“But I am not going to impose a conversation on him that he might not want to hear. It would have to be an initiative that comes from him.”

Hodgson confirmed that former England goalkeeper Ben Foster, 39, will leave the club at the end of the season.

He said: “I hope the fans will pay tribute to him because he’s been a fantastic servant to the club and given great service to football.”