If Sheffield United wing-back Max Lowe expected Roy Hodgson to go down tamely when the pair tussled over a loose ball midway through the second half at Bramall Lane, he was about to discover what Premier League opponents have long known: the veteran manager is still very much up for a fight.
Having turned 76 on Wednesday, the Crystal Palace manager found himself on the receiving end of a “dig” to the stomach as Lowe — 50 years his junior — chased a loose ball into the technical area which Hodgson controlled under his foot.
The pair briefly pushed each other, and exchanged “opinions,” an ultimately harmless moment but one which suggested that, despite the advancing years, Hodgson is as motivated in his job as at any time since he broke into management 47 years ago.
“It took me a bit by surprise, I suppose I don’t take many challenges these days at my age,” joked Hodgson.
“It was nothing at all and immediately afterwards Max Lowe looked over and we smiled at each other. He obviously realised he hadn’t done a lot to hurt me and I was probably a bit surprised I have got the energy to react in the way I did.”
On his feet for the entire 96 minutes, Hodgson may lack the “Duracell Bunny” stamina of Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola in the technical area but there was still a telling, if under-stated, double fist bump as the final whistle sounded.
“What drives me on at the moment is working with such a good group of players and a good football club in the very best league in Europe,” explained Hodgson.
“One could turn the question around and ask what is there not to be motivated by or what is there not to be enthusiastic about when you find yourself in the position I now find myself in?
“That is the only simple answer I can give. There’s certainly no Machiavellian thoughts involved. It is just a question that I do enjoy working at Crystal Palace, I do enjoy working with these players and I do enjoy working with the staff around me and all of those things make for a pleasant life, especially when you are winning.”
The former England manager, of course, cancelled retirement to save Palace from relegation in the final 10 games of last season and has remained at the helm during a testing summer which has seen talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha leave the club, and Michael Olise possibly following him.
Part of Palace’s problems have involved goalkeeper Vicente Guaita who, Hodgson claimed, refused to play for the club in pre-season but who appeared to tweet out his displeasure at being left out of the squad half an hour before kick-off.
“Where is my name, so how can I play for Palace,” he tweeted. Predictably, Guaita’s decision to escalate the dispute was met with a phlegmatic response from his manager.
“I didn’t know that happened — I’m glad we got through today, our keeper was largely untroubled,” said Hodgson. “That type of thing would be something that he and the club would have to sort out. For me that doesn’t have any effect.”
What might have effected Hodgson was the absence of the injured Olise, in addition to Zaha having departed. Instead, it was another flair player Eberechi Eze who dominated proceedings although the winning goal, on 49 minutes, came from a Jordan Ayew cross which was turned in from close range by Odsonne Edouard.
In the end, it was a predictably difficult Premier League return for the hosts whose lack of transfer activity this summer has alarmed supporters.
“To concede the first goal so early in the second half made it difficult,” said manager Paul Heckingbottom. “These are a well established team, they have experience, they have some real quality. But I have not come away from there scared and the players shouldn’t either.”
