‘Big Roy’ fits the bill to give struggling Watford a chance of surviving

Roy Hodgson stepped down from Crystal Palace in May 2021 but has been tempted back to management by Watford. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/NMC Pool/PA

For Roy Hodgson, the “easy thing would have been to disappear off into retirement”. So said Dan Ashworth in February 2019, as he reflected on Hodgson’s failed tenure as the England manager, and the view of the Football Association’s former technical director would have found broad agreement.

Only not with Hodgson.