To prevent Crystal Palace from being relegated, Roy Hodgson has come out of retirement.
With just five points from their previous 12 games and no victories since December 31, the Eagles are in last place in the Premier League’s form table.
Palace lost 4-1 to league-leading Arsenal on Sunday, leaving them in 12th place, three points above the relegation zone, just days after Patrick Vieira was fired as interim manager.
After Watford was demoted to the Championship at the end of the previous season, Hodgson, 75, hung up his clipboard. However, the team where he started his playing career in 1965 has persuaded him to return to the bench for the remainder of the campaign.
The former England boss said: “It is a privilege to be asked to return to the club, which has always meant so much to me, and to be given the important task of turning the team’s fortunes around.
“Our sole objective now is to start winning matches and to get the points necessary to ensure our Premier League status.
“Crystal Palace is known for its fighting spirit and I have no doubt that all our supporters will fight with us, beginning with the visit of Leicester a week Saturday.”
Roy Hodgson has been appointed Crystal Palace manager until the end of the season.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) March 21, 2023
Paddy McCarthy will take the role as his assistant manager, and Ray Lewington returns as first-team coach.
Dean Kiely remains in his position as goalkeeping coach.
Welcome back, Roy.#CPFC
It will be Hodgson’s second spell in the Selhurst Park hotseat after keeping the Eagles in the top flight from the 2017-18 season to the end of the 2020-21 campaign before stepping down from his role to be replaced by Vieira.
Eagles chairman Steve Parish added: “I would like to welcome Roy and Ray back to the club.
“We are obviously in a very challenging period but we believe that Roy’s and Ray Lewington’s experience, knowledge of the club and players, alongside Paddy can help fulfil the immediate requirement of keeping us in the league.”
With McCarthy joining Hodgson’s first-team coaching set-up as assistant manager, Darren Powell will become head coach of Palace’s Under-21s.