Hodgson will not overstay England welcome

Roy Hodgson said he is open to extending his contract as manager of England, though it depends on whether the nation’s fans turn against him.

Hodgson is out of contract at the end of Euro 2016 in France and Football Association (FA) chairman Greg Dyke has already raised the possibility of a new deal for the England boss, despite last year’s failure at the World Cup.

England bowed out of the World Cup winless in Brazil, but Hodgson and his men have since gone eight matches without a defeat.

“It’s tempting to think that one could stay longer, but it has got to be wanted, first by the FA, and it has to be wanted by the English people,” Hodgson said.

“Sven [Goran Eriksson] and Fabio [Capello] were not that unpopular going into the tournament, but they come out of the tournament and everyone is saying ‘oh god, we don’t want the next two years [with them]’.

“I don’t want that at 68 or 69 years of age.”

The 67-year-old, who is preparing for next month’s international fixtures against Republic of Ireland (friendly) and Slovenia (Euro 2016 qualifier), added: “I am happy doing the job at the moment. I would want that to continue if I was to continue. If I felt that that was not to be and that my time actually was being called, I would prefer to move away.

“I don’t know if I want to carry on or not.

“If you could promise me my life would be as great as it is at the moment for the next three years, of course I would be delighted to carry on. But I am a football realist. I know what football does and can do.

“I also know what overstaying your welcome can do and I would really not want to do that.

“It may be a good question for the FA, but I am very comfortable at the moment. If 2016 is my last tournament, I won’t be bitterly disappointed. If I can be persuaded to carry on, who knows?

“I am happy and I am relatively healthy and I would have not thought my age was my handicap.”