‘I'd be rather surprised’: Roy Hodgson lifts lid on Bristol City manager search amid links to Portsmouth boss John Mousinho
John Mousinho has been linked with the soon-to-be Bristol City vacancy after guiding Pompey to Championship safety.
Roy Hodgson has admitted he’s in the dark over his Bristol City successor, amid links with Pompey boss John Mousinho.
But the 78-year-old revealed he’s set for talks with the Robins board over his successor ahead of his departure this summer.
Interest in the 40-year-old is growing, with reports emerging last week linking the head coach with the soon-to-be vacancy at Ashton Gate.
The Pompey boss is said to be attracting interest for the post, along with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Russell Martin and Steve Cooper, who have also been touted.
Roy Hodgson lifts lid on Bristol City manager search amid John Mousinho links
Indeed, Hodgson, who is braced for talks with Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown and CEO Charlie Boss ahead of his departure, admitted he’s currently unaware with how the Robins’ managerial search is progressing.
And although the vastly-experienced boss remains in the dark at present, he has backed his former captain Gerrard to take the role as he eyes a return to the dugout.
Speaking to Bristol Live, Hodgson said: ‘Steven Gerrard is not only a wonderful footballer, [but] he's a very good football man, and he's experienced.
‘He's had difficult jobs: he's had Aston Villa, which is never an easy place to work, and he's also been in Saudi Arabia, so I don't think that [his lack of experience in the Championship] has got anything to do with it.
‘If the club can attract candidates of Steven Gerrard's calibre, I can only congratulate them.
‘I'm pretty sure that if Steven is offered the job and is contemplating it, that he will speak to me because we worked together at Liverpool and he was my captain with England.
‘So I'd be rather surprised if he's contemplating taking the job and doesn't pick up the phone.
‘We'll wait and see if that happens; I don't have any opinions myself about what the club should do.
‘You're just telling me that he's a major candidate, well, good for them, but I've got no idea. No one's mentioned it to me, and we're talking about a journalist's opinion.’
Roy Hodgson braced for Bristol City talks
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Hodgson was appointed in March on a short-term deal for the Robins’ final seven matches of the season following the sacking of Gerhard Struber.
While the head coach stressed he will not take the role on a permanent basis, the former Liverpool, West Brom and Fulham boss is open to using his vast experience to aid the Robins’ managerial search, with talks set to take place with the board in the coming days.
‘The idea was then that that week, because there's no football and no players, it would be spent - if you like - with the hierarchy of the club so they could sort of ask me to review the time that I've had and ask any questions that they might have, because that was also part of the remit.
‘It wasn't just, 'Try to coach this team and try to win us a few games.' It was, 'We need to benefit from what we think is your experience and your knowledge.' So, a meeting is already set up in the early part of next week with Charlie Boss. I will then hear if he's got other meetings planned.
‘I know that Steve and Maggie Lansdown want to speak to me. Whether or not that will be next week, it could go into the week after, because I'm not certain about their whereabouts or their plans. I've spoken to Jon, our chairman, but basically I'm available now after the game to do anything that Charlie, Richard Scudamore, or the Lansdown family want from me.
‘If it doesn't work that for some reason next week, the meeting they would like isn't possible for them, then I'll go back to London, but it's not on the other side of the world if they needed me to one day the week after get on the train and come and do it, or if they come to me.