Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson’s love of the game will see him determined to return to the dugout as soon as he is well enough, according to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
Hodgson fell ill during training on Thursday and was taken to hospital for further tests, with his condition later being described as “stable” by the Premier League club.
The 76-year-old had been set to speak at a scheduled press conference at 1.30pm on Thursday ahead of the upcoming match at Everton on Monday night, but members of the media waiting outside Palace’s training ground in New Beckenham were informed the briefing would not take place.
According to reports, Palace are set to sack Hodgson, with former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner a strong favourite to take the job.
Arsenal beat Palace 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium on January 20, which was the start of a four-game winning streak as they look to keep up the pace in the title race.
Arteta wished former England boss Hodgson a swift recovery, and understands what the pressures of the job can bring at both ends of the table.
Following news that Roy Hodgson was taken ill during today’s training session, we can confirm that he is now stable and is currently undergoing tests in hospital.
Everybody at the club sends their best wishes to Roy for a speedy recovery.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 15, 2024
“Hopefully, he’s feeling much better and if that’s the case, knowing Roy, I think he will be in tomorrow because he loves it so much,” the Arsenal manager said at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Burnley.
“But yeah, we all got really worried with the situation and hopefully he is fine.”
On the stresses managers work under, Arteta added: “There is that part, but there is the part of joy and how beautiful our jobs are as well.
“A lot of times (pressure) is in relation to where you are, but it is part of the job.”
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou also hopes Hodgson will soon be on the mend, and feels whatever might be going on in the background would not diminish the 76-year-old’s standing in the game.
“It is a weird sort of occupation we have,” said the Australian, who took over at Spurs in the summer after a successful spell at Celtic.
“There are not many where people pretty much dictate or try a create a narrative where you are pretty much finished and also putting up your replacement.
“Roy is still in the position, but that is the way of the world nowadays. I guess we sign up for it, so everyone kind of expects it.
“But I don’t think it diminishes Roy’s standing in the game in any way and above all hopefully he bounces back quickly.”
There has so far been no further official update from Palace, with reports emerging Hodgson was considering stepping away from his job and taking a break from the game.
West Ham boss David Moyes said at the club’s press conference on Friday afternoon: “I am hearing he is fine by what I have heard, so I am hoping that is the case.
“I have always said I don’t know if I want to be working at Roy’s age, that’s for sure, but he is someone who loves the game and his longevity has been incredible in football.”
Friday was understood to be a scheduled rest day for the Palace squad ahead of the trip to Merseyside.
Ray Lewington and fellow assistant Paddy McCarthy are expected to take charge for the Everton game should Hodgson need any extra time off following his spell in hospital.
Palace sit 15th in the table, five points above the relegation zone, heading into the weekend’s Premier League fixtures games.
Hodgson took charge of his 200th match as Eagles manager on Monday when his side were beaten 3-1 at Selhurst Park by Chelsea.
The veteran former England boss is in his second spell in charge of the south London club, having returned for the final 10 games of last season when he signed a short-term deal to take over from the sacked Patrick Vieira.
Hodgson guided the club to an 11th-placed finish before agreeing to continue as manager for the 2023-24 campaign.
Palace have won just six of 24 league fixtures this term, with only three of those victories coming since a 1-0 success at Manchester United in September.
Disgruntled fans have displayed banners in recent weeks calling for Hodgson to be sacked and vented frustration with how the club is being run.
Austrian Glasner guided Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022 following a penalty shoot-out victory over Rangers in Seville.
The 49-year-old, who has also managed Wolfsburg, has been out of work since leaving the Bundesliga side last summer.
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