I doubt many managers have a CV like new England manager Roy Hodgson's. The Croydon-born national gaffer has managed all around the world, for high calibre sides such as Inter Milan and Liverpool but with his chance with England sees Roy return to the national stage for the first time in five years.
Hodgson has plenty of experience. He isn't like a Fabio Capello or a Steve McLaren in making their first national appearance as England manager; Roy managing the likes of Finland, UAE and an impressive stint in charge of Switzerland shows he knows what to do at this level.
With the Swiss, he managed to finish an extremely impressive 3rd in the Fifa World Rankings in 1993 and, after leaving the post in 1996 was it any surprise that they failed to qualify for a major tournament for the next eight years?!
The Swiss were on a roll under Roy
It shows what he can do when not under any real pressure. At Fulham, Hodgson took them from a mid-table Premier league side to the Europa League runners up; suffering defeat a 2-1 defeat, after extra time to an Atheltico Madrid side including stars such as Simao, Jose Antonio Reyes, Sergio Aguero and eventual two goal hero Diego Forlan.
Fulham lost in the Final
Of course, the forgettable stint at Liverpool slightly overshadows his roller-coaster of a career but his time at West Bromwich Albion increased his reputation further by turning a side that is renowned as a "yo-yo club" (Relegated to the Championship and then promoted again) into an established top flight team, leading the Baggies to a top half finish of 10th, playing some attractive football and being hard to beat - Something England haven't had.
Finally here he is, having the honour to manage his country. It's taken Roy a long time to reach the pinnacle.
For once, England as a nation aren't expectant. Instead of picking the same old players, Roy has brought in the odd unknown in the shape of Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; one of the brightest young hopes for the future, in a bid to surprise the opposition.
Without the pressure or expectancy, Hodgson has shown that he has the talents to do well, with England there is always these two components although this time, less of the latter.
He can't do it all on his own, obviously the big names like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and a late coming from Wayne Rooney would help but an England without expectancy maybe, just maybe could help Roy and his boys.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: England need them on their game
As an Englishman I'm pleased with the selection; experience at an international level, knows the game inside out and is English. Admittedly I was never on the "He has to be English" bandwagon and personally I wanted Guus Hiddink, another who has tremendous experience worldwide but, I have a feeling that Roy will do well; he seems respected and knowledgeable as well as media friendly which is always a plus as England manager.
Also, I suppose that if it is a boring 0-0 game, at least he's entertaining on the touchline...
It could have been so much better for the little maestro that was, or is Andrei Arshavin. After so much promise in Euro 2008 for his national side everybody believed that there would be a new star in world football.
2008 was quite a Summer for the winger, who won the Uefa Cup with Zenit St. Petersburg as well as being voted Man of the Match in the 2-0 Final win against Rangers before going on to win the European Super Cup; beating Manchester United 2-1.
Arshavin celebrates his team's Uefa Cup triumph
A few months later saw Arshavin playing in Euro 2008 where, despite missing the first two Russian games due to suspension showed his class as he tormented Sweden by scoring one and assisting in another and repeating this feat against The Netherlands (winning Man of the Match) before his side bowed out of the competition with defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.
Arshavin's form at the Euros had clubs chasing his signature
Fastforward to January 2009 and Arshavin swapped cold Russia for cold England as he joined Arsenal for a club-record £15million fee.
It was an up-and-down career at Arsenal - The first two seasons he was pretty much unplayable, the obvious highlight was Arshavin netting four at Anfield in a 4-4 draw with Liverpool. In the same season he was voted The Gunners' Player of the Month for April and finished second in Arsenal's Player of the Season award despite only playing half a season and playing in fewer than a quarter of the club's games all season. His second season in English football was similar to the first as the Russian assisted and scored in a season that saw Arsene Wenger's side end in 3rd place, 11 points off of Champions Chelsea.
The final two campaigns weren't as successful as the goals, assists and game time dried up and apart from his first ever Champions League goal for the north Londoners; a winning goal in a 2-1 win against Barcelona at the Emirates little else happened for the little man and the fans began to criticise their one time hero.
Arshavin had gone from hero to zero
His final season or half season at the club saw the emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a summer buy from Championship side Southampton as Arshavin found himself mostly on the bench for the final months of his Gunners career.
There was one last hurrah though as, in injury time at Sunderland he crossed for club legend Thierry Henry to volley home; a final Arsenal appearance for both players, the assist similar to the Arshavin of old, just a parting gift to the Arsenal faithful as weeks later he returned to Zenit on loan till the end of the season.
And so, as we wave goodbye to the player, who, with his contract up at the end of the season, I predict it is highly unlikely he will return to the Emirates. A shame in my opinion that an extremely talented player never showed his talent for a longer period of time in the Premier League.
