Could Hodgson repair his battered reputation in China? Euro 2016 flop would be welcome in Chinese Super League, says events kingpin

Former England manager, reeling from his resignation, could be handed a lifeline by cash-rich Chinese club football

2016 Uefa European Championship (Euro 2016)

Agence France-Presse

Published: 9:51am, 29 Jun 2016

Why you can trust SCMP

Roy Hodgson may be reeling from his resignation as coach of England, but could be handed a lifeline by cash-rich Chinese club football, according the head of China’s foremost sports event organiser.

Eric Gao, who has pulled off an inadvertent coup as his International Champions Cup will see bitter rivals Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola face off for the first time in their new roles on July 25 in Beijing, said Hodgson remains the type of high-profile coach in demand by Chinese clubs despite England’s feeble performance in the 2-1 defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016 on Monday.

Hodgson resigned following England’s feeble surrender to minnows Iceland on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Manchester United and Manchester City to face off in China in July

“I know that lots of clubs in the Chinese Super League would love to be able to sign a coach of the calibre of Roy Hodgson,” Gao told reporters in London on Tuesday.

“If anyone has his number or that of his agent I would love to have it.”

Hodgson, 68, resigned immediately after the Iceland humiliation, but already has experience of coaching in several different countries from the Swiss national team to Italian giants Inter Milan and Malmo in Sweden.

Hodgson wouldn’t be the first former England coach to land on his feet in China with Sven-Goran Eriksson, who led the Three Lions to three major tournament quarter-finals between 2002 and 2006, coaching Shanghai SIPG.

Post