Could we see Roy Hodgson manning a sideline in MLS? The former England manager says he's open to the idea, per a recent interview with SiriusXM FC.
"I think the football seems to be coming on in leaps and bounds in the USA at the moment, there's no doubt that what's been done with MLS is paying dividends," Hodgson said. "I see the number of teams growing every year, I see the attendance figures are becoming quite enormous. They're matching teams in the Premiership."
Hodgson has experienced a lengthy career that's seen him coach all over the world, most recently for Premier League side Crystal Palace and his native England from 2012-16. He announced his decision to step away from full-time management at the end of last season when his Crystal Palace contract expired, but the urge to stay around the sport is evidently still there.
Hodgson said that an MLS move makes sense for reasons beyond soccer, given his family ties to the US and his fond feelings toward the country. But it all remains theoretical, as the 73-year-old hasn't been linked with any MLS jobs in an official capacity yet. And given he's approaching his mid-70s, retirement very well could be on the table.
"Who knows? I certainly wouldn't write anything off at the moment," he said. "I’ve had quite a lot of dealings with America since the time in [1994] in the World Cup in Switzerland, and of course our son studying for a long time and then living in America. I have a great affection for the country ... so who knows if someone one day thought I could be interesting for them, I'd be more than happy to listen to that."
Should Hodgson head across the Atlantic, he'd potentially join countrymen Phil Neville (Inter Miami CF), Adrian Heath (Minnesota United FC) and Gary Smith (Nashville SC) as MLS head coaches. Of course, there'd have to be an opening for Hodgson to fill.
