Roy Hodgson hints at management return after describing Bristol City stint

Veteran football figure Roy Hodgson has dropped a significant hint regarding a potential return to management, reflecting on what he described as a magical period in the dugout in south Bristol.

According to Bristolpost, Hodgson's return to club football came more than four decades after his initial stint in charge of the Robins during the 1980s. Invited by Richard Scudamore to assist the squad for the final weeks of the league season, the veteran coach stepped into the vacancy created when Gerhard Struber was dismissed.

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The short-term appointment proved remarkably fruitful on the pitch. Hodgson guided the team through a sequence of fixtures that culminated in a respectable mid-table finish, securing three wins and two draws from his seven games in charge before departing in May, paving the way for Michael Skubala to assume the permanent role at Ashton Gate.

Speaking candidly about his time on the High Performance Centre training pitches, Hodgson revealed that pulling his boots back on reawakened his passion for daily coaching. Speaking on The Jeff Stelling Show, produced by OLBG, the 79-year-old explained how observing former colleague Ray Lewington reinvigorated his own desire to return to the grass.

"Well, strangely enough, I had that phone call out of the blue from Richard Scudamore asking me if I'd ever be available to spend time and work with Bristol City, with the Bristol City team, for the last seven games of the season. I think he was expecting me to say, 'No, I'm finished now. I'm too old for that.' But I didn't. I'd seen Ray Lewington energised by the little bit of work he's doing with Brentford, and I thought it might be good for me as well, getting me out of bed in the mornings."

Roy Hodgson, former manager, via Bristolpost

Hodgson added that the intense enjoyment of those six weeks created an unexpected emotional void now that the stint has concluded. The major problem was, of course, that it was such a magical six weeks that I had down there that now I miss it, and now I no longer have it, he noted.

Despite leaving his post in May, the experienced tactician has refused to shut the door completely on another dugout adventure. While maintaining that he does not actively market himself or anticipate incoming enquiries, Hodgson conceded that a persuasive approach from the right project could alter his retirement plans.

"If it happens, then I think I'd probably jump at it again. But I don't envisage it, and I certainly don't have anyone punting for it. So it would be a strange phone call, and someone would have to work very hard to make that phone call."

Roy Hodgson, former manager, via Bristolpost

Reflecting further on his career and the wider landscape of the sport, Hodgson noted that he believes there are many managers and coaches around who need jobs, adding that the game has been very kind to him. Having previously spent time away from club management following his second spell at Crystal Palace, his brief return to Ashton Gate demonstrated that his tactical acumen and enthusiasm for training ground work remain undiminished.

As the football calendar progresses, followers of the game will watch to see if any club desperate for short-term stability or tactical guidance chooses to test his resolve with that unlikely phone call.