40 days to transform England

Roy Hodgson was appointed as England manager yesterday and given just 40 days and 40 nights to lead an under-delivering team out of the international wilderness and into the Euro 2012 limelight.

It is, by his own admission, a job of biblical proportions.

The former Fulham, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Switzerland and Finland coach was impressive enough on his England bow at Wembley as he faced his first press conference since being named as the shock successor to Fabio Capello, taking on a job that seemed destined for Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, the clear favourite of fans and media.