100 football blogs to follow in 2011

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Get stuck in, readers. Photograph: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

The year of the blog? Very possibly, especially with the current batch of outstanding sites out there which have grown, improved, developed and cross-pollinated in recent time. Aided by social media, an increasingly specialised selection is out there, waiting for you to wade through and bolster your knowledge of the game, and I thoroughly recommend losing yourself in as many of the following as possible.

Some, or many, may already be known to you, but hopefully there will be some hidden gems for everyone in one way, shape or form. The 100 arein no particular order, the list is by no means definitive and my apologies for any obvious, noteworthy omissions. You will notice that I've left out any club-specific blogs in the 100, hopefully to provide you with the most non-partisan, objective bunch around, though that in no way means you shouldn't follow any of the brilliant club-themed ones in 2011 and beyond. All suggestions, recommendations (and self-plugging) below the line will be much appreciated. Happy new year.

The Swiss Ramble

Essential reading about the business of football, with a depth of knowledge that makes it stand well out from the crowd.twitter.com/swissramble

In Bed With Maradona

An outstanding variety of football stories from around the world and through the ages are told here by an ever-growing collective, among them a personal favourite this recent piece on Justin Fashanu's spell at Torquay. twitter.com/inbedwimaradona

Zonal Marking

Michael Cox launched the tactics-porn site last January and says "it was inspired by [Jonathan Wilson's] Inverting The Pyramid and the standard of punditry on British television, in very different ways". Disclaimer: the good man himself writes a chalkboards column for this parish every Monday. twitter.com/Zonal_Marking

Football Further

AFP sports journalist Tom Williams blogs on all things French football, and also provides some rather handsome tactics pieces.twitter.com/tomwfootball

Billsportsmaps.com

A vast array of maps, locating the teams that took part in everything fromlast season's Blue Square Premier promotion and play-offs map to the2010 Copa Libertadores last-16 map. Packed full of hidden treasures.

Football Management

(Dr) John Beech "offers commentary on current (and, to a much lesser extent, historic) issues in the management of English clubs and, as appropriate, the governance of the clubs and leagues". It's well worth digging into. twitter.com/johnbeech

Twohundredpercent

The breadth of coverage again impresses here as English football (and its clubs in crisis) get a thorough analysing. twitter.com/twoht

The Run Of Play

One of the best designed blogs on the list, this is "a blog about the wonder and terror of soccer". That tells you where the blog is based, but it covers far more than just MLS. Here are just two examples why you should read it. twitter.com/runofplay

The Ball Is Round

Trips abroad, trips around the non-league and just flat-out good writing. Enjoy. twitter.com/theballisround

The Seventy Two

An excellent compendium for the Football League fan, David Bevan helms this collection of writing on the lower divisions. (Disclaimer: you may have read David's guest articles on our Football League blog.)twitter.com/the72football

European Football Weekends

If you can look beyond the big plug from the Guardian on its homepage standfirst, you'll find the thoroughly enjoyable writing of Danny Last and friends as they make their way around the continent, from FC United to FC Copenhagen. twitter.com/dannylast

The Equaliser

Just two of the stand-out features on this blog: 20 greatest managersand my favourite footballer. twitter.com/equaliserblog

Les Rosbifs

Tracking and interviewing much-travelled English footballers as they build their careers - and lives - around the world. Fascinating.twitter.com/lesrosbifs

Iain Macintosh

Damn. Fine. Writing. A special tip of the cap for the Woodlands andHeidenheim Chronicles. twitter.com/iainmacintosh

Back Page Football

An interesting perspective on a range of football from the Premier League to the A-League, especially good on its 'ones 2 watch' feature.twitter.com/bpfootball

The Football Ramble Blog

Beyond their excellent podcast lies a collection of writing from some brilliant writers. twitter.com/footballramble

Two Footed Tackle

Another blog with a fine podcast, "the opinions here range from the extremely cynical to the gloriously bright-eyed, from Premier League title race excitement to bitter non-league conversion".twitter.com/twofootedtackle

Gibfootballshow

Andrew Gibney covers a range of European football topics (with a special love for Ligue 1) as well as producing a weekly podcast. As the man himself says: "Gibfootballshow is my mistress and she speaks French." twitter.com/gibfootballshow

Magic Spongers

'Literally corner' is enough to make you want to read Adam Bushby and Rob MacDonald's blog. twitter.com/magicspongers

Football Fairground

A tidy range of articles and podcasting opinions on French, German, US football and more. twitter.com/FutblFairground

Ghostgoal

A thoroughly entertaining range of views and features, a favourite beingThe Mark Burke Story. twitter.com/ghostgoal.

Rinaldi's Blog

Like Italian football? Like an enjoyable read? Here you go.twitter.com/ginkers

The Real FA Cup

Disillisioned and think modern football is rubbish? Then get your mojo back in the lower reaches of English football. twitter.com/therealfacup

The Scottish Football Blog

Does what it says on the tin. And does it well.twitter.com/ScotFootBlog

Soccer AM/MW

Luckily, it's got nothing to do with the Saturday morning programme, focusing on a range of topics in the Football League and below.twitter.com/soccerammw

One Foot In The Game

One of the points of a blog is to have a good old rant, something this blog does admirably. twitter.com/1FITG

The Two Unfortunates

More fine Football League views and analysis.twitter.com/twounfortunates

A Football Report

An impressive volume and standard of writing from around the globe on this blog, where you'll struggle not to find an interesting read.twitter.com/afootballreport

Play The Game

Straight outta Denmark, "aiming to strengthen the basic ethical values of sport and encourage democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport." What's not to like?twitter.com/playthegame_org

In The Stands

A light touch and good use of embedded videos makes this one easy on the eye and mind. twitter.com/In_The_Stands

Fútbolita

"The alternative female voice for Latin American, Spanish and Italian football online," and well worth a gander. twitter.com/futbolita

Football Shirt Culture

Keep on top of the latest updates in kit news/designs around the world, from online club polls to commemorative editions.twitter.com/footballshirt

Who Ate All The Pies

Today we spell irreverence, P-I-E-S. twitter.com/ollieirish

Hasta El Gol Siempre

In the Argentinian football corner, writing out of Buenos Aires, by way of North Somerset, Sam Kelly blogs on "more fútbol argentino than you can shake a mullet at". twitter.com/HEGS_com

Mirko Bolesan

An intriguing and rewarding blog that deals with "football's oddities". Which I guess is right if it's a site that reviews the 1986 ZX Spectrum release, 'Peter Shilton's Handball Maradona!'.twitter.com/mirkobolesan

Left Back In The Changing Room

There's plenty of good perusing to be had around Rob Marrs's blog.twitter.com/MarrsioFootball

The Football Express

A quick glance at the tag cloud on this blog front page gives you a fair clue as to what to predominantly expect here: tactics, Serie A, Premier League and South American analysis. twitter.com/rcammisola

The Best Eleven

Videos, lists and maps (this naturalised Qatar players one is good) make this an arresting read. twitter.com/thebesteleven

Defensive Minded

Celebrating defenders and defending (you'll be surprised to learn), the kind of blog that Ossie Ardiles has nightmares about.

Kickette

Football gets the female touch for "all things fun, fluffy and footie-related". You're intrigued, aren't you? twitter.com/kickette

Santapelota

Not the most regularly updated blog, but when you see how detailed the tactical treatises are, you'll understand. twitter.com/santapelota

Talking About Football

Tim Hill's 'Dissection of' pieces are just one reason to delve into this excellent blog. twitter.com/timhi

101 Great Goals

Goals, misses, ludicrous footballer adverts and much, much more make this required watching and reading. twitter.com/101greatgoals

Just Football

The breadth of coverage is what stands out here, from Barnet to the Apertura. twitter.com/justfootball

Three And In

Again, the wide variety of subjects covered stands out.twitter.com/threeandin

Pitch Invasion

'The Big Picture' archive is just one of the reasons this US-based, but global-themed blog warrants your attention. twitter.com/pitchinvasion

du Nord

Bruce McGuire's bitesize-structured daily wraps on MLS and beyond make for a different style of blogging. twitter.com/dunord

The Offside

Compiling more than 300 individual team blogs from around the globe into a busy, hectic-looking site, this remains an excellent place from which to delve into a huge archive. twitter.com/theoffside

Britski Belasi

English-language Slovakian football blogs might not face the hottest competition, but that doesn't lessen the quality of this one.twitter.com/britskibelasi

The Free Beer Movement

"Beer is the medium. Soccer is the message," is this blog's mantra as it downs one blog on US football before swiftly moving on to another.twitter.com/freebeermovemnt

Where's The Tea Hut

A ground-hopping tour of the non-league, with recent trips ranging fromNewquay to Bacup Borough, via the £12 admission of Harrogate Town.

Matthew Craven: Drawings and Illustrations

Comprising a beautiful array of drawings and illustrations. A delight.twitter.com/matthewcr

cahiers du sport

Portuguese football blogging at its best. twitter.com/cahiers_dusport

Snap, Kaká, and Pop!

Jack Lang's blog on all things Brazilian football, in case the name hadn't given it away. Really rather good. twitter.com/snap_kaka_pop

Davey Talks Balls

David Dickson actually talks sense. twitter.com/dkdickson

This Day In Football History

Memories of every single date since this blog began almost two years ago, handily illustrated with accompanying videos more often than not.twitter.com/BrianSeal

The Spoiler

"Where sport meets porn," claims this blog, selling it somewhat short. But I bet you want to click on it now. twitter.com/thespoileruk

Off The Post

Videos, blogs and a podcast complement this blog dedicated to celebrating the offbeat nature of the game. twitter.com/offthepost

A More Splendid Life

You may have already come across Richard Whittall at Pitch Invasion(including his fascinating 'football, blogs and newspapers unite?' series), but here he focuses predominantly on MLS, as well as other subjects.twitter.com/RWhittall

The Score

'The Footy Blog' section of the Canadian site may include contributions from our own Paolo Bandini, but don't hold it against them.http://twitter.com/theScore

The Global Game

A site that "says 'no' to big soccer and yes to soccer as a game for women and the marginalized, as a place of resistance". Full of truly fascinating articles. twitter.com/TheGlobalGame

EPL Talk Network

Well-established it may be, but this remains one of the most consistent out there, along with its host of sister sites. twitter.com/epltalk

Football and Music

Because they can co-exist, despite what Kevin Keegan might have you think. twitter.com/FootieAndMusic. It's probably also worth mentioningObscure Music And Football while we're here too.

Defensive Midfielder

With a heavy lean towards the Bundesliga, Martyn Fisher provides tactical match report breakdowns from around Europe.twitter.com/bundesliga_wrap

Football Italia

The Blog Italia section remains packed full of pieces from some of the best writers on their subject around. twitter.com/footballitalia

Holding Midfield

Joshua Askew and guests add interesting tactical dissections to other features. twitter.com/LeJask

Six Pointer

A good variety of content from Chris Mayer, a fine purveyor of Belgian footballing information among other things. twitter.com/chrismayerv1

11 Tegen 11

For lovers of Dutch football tactical analysis, this should be right up your street. twitter.com/11tegen11

Ffwtbol

Welsh football, get your Welsh football here. twitter.com/ffwtbol

Studs Up

The accompanying blog to Chris Toy's entertaining online comic.twitter.com/christoy

Argentina Football World

An excellent source for anyone wanting to acquaint themselves with Argentinian football. twitter.com/@ArgentinaFW

Bagsy Not In

Opinionated, attention-grabbing and featuring a wide variety of content.twitter.com/bagsynotin

The Football Hobo - Alan Smithy

A new arrival on the scene, but the early signs are good.twitter.com/alansmithys

Polly's Pause For Sport

Not solely a football blog, but it is the predominant content, as Dominic Pollard recently discussed. twitter.com/DominicPollard

The Cynical Challenge

James Appell's blog and podcast succeeds in tackling topics beyond the obvious. twitter.com/jamesappell

Cold Tuesday Evenings

Some lovely YouTube finds on top of non-league and upwards updates.twitter.com/coldtuesdayeves

Surreal Football

You had me at Isaac. twitter.com/SurrealFootball

My Football Facts & Stats

Statistics, trivia, history and analysis that will make you lose hours as if they were minutes. twitter.com/myfootballfacts

The Goalkeepers' Union

When you first log on to a blog and see a review of the 1988 Reusch Toni goalkeeping glove, you know it's one to bookmark.

Avoiding The Drop

Like Deadspin? Then there's a fair chance you'll like this.twitter.com/avoidingthedrop

Danger Here

The regular football pundits/commentators quotes collection and videos makes this a humorous must for the list. twitter.com/dangerhere

Polish Football Scout

There's nowhere better to polish up on your Polish football.twitter.com/polishscout

Gannin' Away

More travels around Britain's league and non-league grounds, and further afield. twitter.com/HuddoHudson

Beat The First Man

Keeping its eye on the ball to spot the best football videos and photographs you might have missed. twitter.com/BeatTheFirstMan

Three Match Ban

Predominantly Premier League-themed, but worth it for Dan Mobbs's'Guess the star of English football from their classic football sticker' quizalone. twitter.com/ThreeMatchBan

Nordic Football News

Specialising in the Finnish and Norwegian game, with added coverage from the rest of the Nordic nations. facebook.com/pages/Nordic-Football-News

Soccerlens

Set up by Ahmed Bilal in 2006, this remains one of the best-known blogs on the scene. twitter.com/soccerlens

Laligathemidlandsview's Blog

Interesting pieces focused on Spanish football.twitter.com/LaLigathemids

False 10

Another blog favouring the bitesize entry round-ups and one to keep an eye on. twitter.com/false10

Foul Throw

Short, sharp and to the point. twitter.com/FoulThrowBlog

Scheidt's Footballing Miscellany

Any blog and podcast named in honour of the Celtic shambles is good by us. But it gets in on its content too. twitter.com/Scheidtcast

Stoppage Time

Global coverage with a particular strength in Asian football.twitter.com/StopTimeBlog

Upper90 magazine

"Two football-loving university graduates, sick of dire journalism and average football blogs online, team up to bring a fresh look at the world of football." It's what they'd want written here.twitter.com/upper90magazine

Dispatches From A Football Sofa

Weekly musings on a range of subjects. twitter.com/gregtheoharis

Football In France Is Rubbish

... but it's still well worth reading about on this blog.

Football On The Wire

Token references of one of the Guardian's favourite TV programmes may seem why this makes the cut, but the graphics, such as this, help to make it stand out.

Albion Road

An excellent resource as well as a good read.

The Shin Guardian

Predominantly focused on the MLS and US national teams, with added Premier League coverage and more thrown in.twitter.com/shinguardian

The Andersred blog

Primarily focused on breaking down the Glazers' work at Old Trafford, this just makes the list due to interesting pieces on other clubs' debts and finances, among them Spurs and Barcelona.twitter.com/andersred

Saints 1885 Subbuteo Blog

A guilty pleasure, but anything that digs out this interactive scoreboardcan never be a bad thing. I should also really make mention of Peter Upton's Subbuteo Tribute site too.

Oh, go on then, some special mentions ...

• Il Tifosi - Adam Digby deals with all things Juventus in a splendidly detailed blog. twitter.com/adz77

• The Tomkins Times (subscription, but some content free) - get your Liverpool on. twitter.com/paul_tomkins

• HTFC World - Huddersfield Town Cartoon Match Reports - you want to click on it, don't you?

• Tictactik - an excellent tactical analysis overview site of Celtic.twitter.com/Tic_Tac_Tic

• Tor-Kristian Karlsen - one for any readers fluent in Norwegian. For those that aren't, best to follow him on Twitter.

• Retro MBM - due to launch in 2011, but the Twitter feed ahead of this date (disclaimer: run by current and former guardian.co.uk sport members) already includes a plethora of brilliant football video clips of yore.

• Self-plugging of our own dept: the guardian.co.uk sportblog, where you'll find great football writing from the likes of David Conn, Jonathan Wilson, Sid Lowe, Barry Glendenning and many more. Plug over.

Ralf Rangnick = Rafa Mark II?

Hoffenheim are proving success is not always down to money

Gabriele Marcotti

By now, you’re probably familiar with Hoffenheim, the German upstarts from the tiny village of 3,732 souls, who, in their first season in the Bundesliga, sit atop the table. If you took a quick look at the results over the weekend, you would see that they were defeated, 2-1, by mighty Bayern Munich, who have now drawn level at the top of the German league.

Normal service has resumed, then?

Not quite. Because, even now that everyone has written the Hoffenheim feel-good story (replete with the customary caveats: this is not a pub team, Dietmar Hopp, the billionaire founder of SAP, the software giant, has invested heavily, etc.) there was nothing normal about Hoffenheim’s display on Friday night.

For a start, they deserved at least a draw, having outplayed Bayern for most of the game. “They were easily the toughest opponents we’ve played all year at the Allianz Arena,” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the Bayern chairman, said. “Nobody else has come into our house and pushed us around like that.”

The “pushing around” bit is an apt analogy, because it speaks to the way Hoffenheim play. Their 4-3-3 is not a cloaked 4-5-1; their wingers – Demba Ba and Chinedu Ogbuke (who made the journey with John Obi Mikel from Nigeria to Norway, was his flatmate for two years and nearly joined him at Chelsea) – stay up the pitch and furiously press and harass the opposition. Their midfield trio move like clockwork and the back four push right up, applying the off-side trap with maniacal precision.

“My football ideal is Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan,” Ralf Rangnick, their manager, said. “Be aggressive in the press, never pass the ball backwards, be quick and direct in possession, move in unison.” Indeed, Sacchi gave football its last real tactical innovation some 20 years ago.

Back then, Rangnick was working in German amateur football. He would tape every Milan game, edit and catalogue every sequence and build a database of how the side moved on the pitch. And this was years before ProZone. To do this, you have to be something of a football-obsessed workaholic, which Rangnick undoubtedly is. He never made it beyond the amateur game (in fact his playing career includes a stint at Southwick, in the Sussex County League) giving him plenty of time to study the game instead.

Of course, many have tried to emulate what Sacchi achieved in his first four years at the San Siro, without succeeding. And that’s why Rangnick has provided his own tweaks, starting with the formation (a 4-3-3, rather than Sacchi’s 4-4-2). But, like all great tactical systems, the result is that the whole is far greater than the sum of the parts.

Nobody embodies this more than Hoffenheim’s centre forward, Vedad Ibisevic. He has notched an outrageous 18 goals in 16 Bundesliga match-es and his story is as improbable as they come. A Bosnian refugee, his family escaped to Switzerland when he was fifteen. Ten months later, they gained a visa to the United States. After unsuccessful stints at Paris Saint-Germain, Dijon and Alemannia Aachen, he surfaced at Hoffenheim last season, where he was used mostly as a third striker.

Now he is flourishing. Tall (6ft 3in), strong and mobile, he is the offensive terminus for everything the side do and, beyond his scoring record, his runs and movement have become an integral part of Rangnick’s master scheme. With a contract expiring in 2010, he is sure to be on many clubs’ shopping lists next year, though the question of whether he can succeed away from Rangnick (or, indeed, if this season was just a freak occurrence) will remain for the time being.

From Hoffenheim’s perspective, the question also lingers, but, in some ways, it doesn’t really matter. They have already far exceeded their objectives. They’ve sold out every match between now and the end of the season (including the ones at the new 30,000-capacity ground they will move into in the new year) and they play a remarkable brand of football that is turning heads all around Europe. And, while Hopp’s millions played a part, his impact in the transfer market was negligible: just two of the club’s summer signings, Gustavo and Andreas Beck, are regulars.

Crucially, they have provided an alternative blueprint for success. One based on infrastructure, coaching and tactics. That alone makes them special, whatever may happen.

Deja Vu

Hodgson leaves Udinese after criticising club

By Gordon Tynan

Tuesday, 11 December 2001

Roy Hodgson has parted company with the Italian club Udinese. The 54-year-old former Blackburn Rovers manager had been in crisis talks with the club's owner, Giampaolo Pozzo, after reportedly claiming at the weekend that he and his players were not as "well supported as we should be".

Roy Hodgson has parted company with the Italian club Udinese. The 54-year-old former Blackburn Rovers manager had been in crisis talks with the club's owner, Giampaolo Pozzo, after reportedly claiming at the weekend that he and his players were not as "well supported as we should be".

The former Switzerland and Internazionale coach, who endured an unsuccessful spell at Ewood Park in 1997-98, only took over at Udinese in the summer after taking FC Copenhagen to the Danish title, their first championship since 1993. Hodgson was quoted in the press at the weekend as saying: "Obviously I'm very happy to be back at this level of football, but I could have chosen a better club to come back to. It's an extremely strange club."

Hodgson yesterday claimed he did not recall making the comments. An official club statement yesterday said: "After the meeting today, Mr Roy Hodgson and the Bianconeri have decided by mutual consent to break the agreement they had in the month of July. The new coach will be announced tomorrow. The club would like to thank Mr Roy Hodgson for his collaboration throughout his time."

The goalkeeping coach, Alessandro Zampa, will take charge of Udinese's Italian Cup match against Parma tonight.

Pozzo had met with Hodgson after the club's 2-1 win over Verona on Sunday. "The club does not deserve those criticisms," said Pozzo. "I am very disappointed with the comments made by Mr Hodgson."

Udinese are ninth in Serie A, five points clear of the relegation places after 13 games. They staged a dramatic fightback to defeat Verona, scoring two goals in the last seven minutes.

Hodgson had been quoted as saying: "The players and myself don't feel we're being as well supported as we should be at the moment but maybe that will change. Nothing that has happened in my time at the club has suggested that we aren't going to be able to stay in this division. I'd like to have another crack at the Premiership. I regard myself as a European, but the great advantages for me going back to England would be the language and the culture. I'll just have to wait and see if an offer comes my way."

Hodgson's playing career with Crystal Palace, Maidstone United, and the South African club Berea Park was relatively undistinguished. But when he went into management, with Halmstad in Sweden, he won two championships in a four-year spell from 1976-80.

After a brief and unsuccessful spell at Bristol City in 1982, who were relegated to the old Fourth Division after he had moved up from assistant manager to take over from Bob Houghton, he returned to Sweden and enjoyed an amazing run of success at Malmo. From 1985 to 1990 he won five consecutive championships and two Swedish Cups.

In 1994 he took Switzerland to their first World Cup finals in 28 years. As coach of Internazionale, he took the Milan club to seventh place in Serie A in 1995-96, and to the Uefa Cup final in 1996-97.

The Brazilian striker Ronaldo admitted it was a dream come true to score after just 19 minutes of his latest comeback match for Internazionale – a 3-1 win over Brescia at the weekend. "A goal after two years was so important," he said. "I have dreamt of this. It's a moment of few words and great happiness."

The Internazionale coach, Hector Cuper, adopted a more cautious tone. "When a player is fit then I will let him play, but Ronaldo certainly cannot carry 90 minutes right now," Cuper told Inter's official website. "I wanted to field Ronaldo from the start without pressure and he gave a good performance. I knew he was ready and focused."

Ronaldo lasted 61 minutes of the game before being substituted as he builds up his match fitness, having limped out of action twice before this season in attempted comebacks.

Hodgson quits as Rovers hit bottom

Blackburn have struggled since winning the Premiership title in 1995

Blackburn Rovers 0 Southampton 2Saturday, November 21, 1998 Published at 19:26 GMT

Roy Hodgson has parted company with Blackburn Rovers after the club hit rock bottom following a humiliating defeat at the hands of relegation rivals Southampton.

Hodgson wrote in his regular Saturday newspaper column only hours before the game: "The way a manager behaves in times of crisis can often be the decisive factor in determining whether a team pulls through or slides deeper into trouble."

Rovers fans will hope his decision to quit will not be the decisive factor leading to their relegation.

Two wins this season

The club, who won the championship only three years ago, have won only two Premiership games this season.

Roy Hodgson has thrown the towel in

Ironically, Hodgson had been touted as the next England manager and angry Blackburn fans were mockingly chanting "Hodgson for England" towards the end of game.

Hodgson failed to appear at the post-match press conference, and instead, chief executive John Williams announced that he had left the club.

A club statement said: "Following the run of recent poor results, Jack Walker and Roy Hodgson have agreed that Roy will be leaving the club.

"The club are disappointed at this outcome but feel the decision is inevitable and in the best interests of Blackburn Rovers."

Few would have expected Hodgson's Ewood Park career to end in such circumstances after he joined in a blaze of glory from Inter Milan in June 1997.

The former Switzerland coach had a CV which was the envy of most coaches and he was one of the hottest managerial properties in Europe.

He enhanced his reputation in his first season by leading Rovers into Europe.

He was even contacted by the German FA when they were searching for a successor to Berti Vogts.

Spending spree

Since the end of last season he spent £20m on strengthening his side, but instead of challenging for the top, he found his team battling against relegation.

It is expected that Hodgson's assistant Tony Parkes will be asked to take up the managerial reigns again until a successor is found.

The side's captain,Tim Sherwood, felt Hodgson had paid the price for the poor sequence of results.

Sherwood, who had his rows with Hodgson this season, said: "We had no inclination that this was going to happen.

"I think it's harsh to put sole blame on Roy Hodgson, but at the end of the day, results speak louder than words, and we have not been getting them.

"You have to respect Jack Walker's decision because the buck stops with the manager. It's Jack's club and Jack's money, and as a player and captain of this club, I respect whatever decision he makes."