Roy in roar to Eagles

ROY HODGSON has told Crystal Palace’s underachievers: You got yourselves out of trouble last season... now do it again.

The former England boss penned a two-year deal to take over at Selhurst Park from Frank de Boer, who was axed after just 77 days.

The Dutchman paid the price for a dismal start that saw the Eagles lose all four games and fail to score. But 70-year-old Hodgson

(above), the oldest man to be appointed in the Premier League, believes the players he has inherited should be doing much better.

He said: “I haven’t met them yet, but I’m looking forward to working with them.

“They did very well last season, especially towards the end, so I have no reason

to believe they can’t do it again.”

Palace beat the drop last season thanks to the late efforts of Sam Allardyce, the man who succeeded Hodgson as Three Lions boss.

Big Sam rejected the chance to come back after unexpectedly quitting Selhurst Park this summer.

Hodgson, who has brought in trusted lieutenant Ray Lewington as his No. 2, added: “It’s a great opportunity to return to the game I love at the highest level and also at a club that I have always admired and liked, and supported as well.

“It’s a good day for me. I’m very, very happy and looking forward to helping us get some more points and climb up the table.”

Hodgson defended his England stint, which came to a sticky end with Iceland’s victory at the Euros last year.

Sad

He said: “England ended on a bad result but the 56 games and the seven defeats is not so bad. We lost a knockout game and I was very sad about that but I can’t put that right.”

The Hodgson era at Palace begins at home to Southampton on Saturday.

He said: “This is very much the club of my boyhood and I remember in my youth watching the club from the terraces at the Holmesdale Road end, which gave me such fond memories.

“In those days I had dreams of playing for the team. Then as a coach you think about coaching the team and a lot has happened in between times.

“It is very rewarding to find myself here now, in different times, as the Palace manager at a club that I have always loved and admired with a huge potential.

“The ambitions here are realistic. There is an enormous potential for growth and I hope we can achieve our goals.”