‘Roy Hodgson is an honorary Gooner!’

By Rob Kelly

Former Arsenal manager Terry Neill has revealed that Roy Hodgson came to learn at the Club during the early days of his coaching career.

The 64-year-old has made an impressive start to his England reign, guiding his side through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 where they will face Italy on Sunday.

And Neill says he is rooting for Hodgson, who he has been close to for more than 30 years.

“Roy has made a very good start to his England career,” Neill told the Official Arsenal Magazine. “He is a very old pal of mine, and an honorary Gooner!

“When he started out with [coach] Bob Houghton in Sweden, Roy wrote to me asking if he could come and spend some time at the Arsenal training ground. I was always willing to allow young coaches to come to see how we work.

“Also, I always felt we could learn something from them too because we were open to new ideas.

“He came along and immediately I liked him. It is a friendship that has lasted more than 30 years.”

Read the full interview with Terry in the latest edition of the Official Arsenal Magazine. Click here to subscribe or call 0845 301 7626