THIS MAY be the week Roy Hodgson proves his critics wrong as he stares European glory in the face Hodgson's Inter Milan take a 3-1 lead into their UEFA Cup semi-final, second-leg tie away to Monaco tonight.
Whatever happens on the pitch, at least Hodgson need not worry that his job is on the line. He has already opted to jump before being pushed, announcing two months ago, that he will be leaving Inter at the end of the season to take up the manager's job at Blackburn Rovers.
Hodgson's fate in Italy has been curious. Results have gone his way, Inter are still in there in. Europe, are still battling for at least second place (and a consequent Champions League qualification) in Serie A and yet he seems little appreciated, either by the fans or the media.
His fellow coach, Argentinian Carlos Bianchi, sacked by AS Roma just two weeks ago, believes he may be able to offer an explanation, arguing that it is no coincidence that five of the six Serie A coaches sacked this season were non-Italians.
Speaking to French soccer magazine France Football last week, Bianchi said "They (the Italian soccer community) use different standards for different people is currently being lauded for having success with a Parma side that has been successful for a number of seasons and contains eight international players.
"In contrast, people are very critical of Roy Hodgson who, according to them, has been a failure at Inter even though the team has one foot in the UEEA Cup final, is third in the league and was knocked out of the Italian Cup only in a semi-final, penalty shoot-out.
Speaking to students at Milan's Cattohca University last week, Hodgson offered his own comment on these fickle footballing times.
"I must say I have to ask myself what has happened among our fans in recent weeks that they want to do this (whistle and jeer Hodgson) even when we are going well in two competitions."
The jury is probably still out on the issue of foreign coaches in Italy, Spain, or anywhere else. What is certain is that success for Hodgson this week will bring a lot of personal satisfaction, if not necessarily future reward.
Meanwhile, Bobby Robson moved one step closer to ending a 15-year exile from English club management yesterday when he was invited to take over at Everton and become one of European football's highest paid coaches.
Within hours of learning that he was definitely to be replaced as Barcelona coach by Ajax's Louis van Gaal this summer, Robson entered into talks with a two-man delegation from Everton.
The Everton chairman, Peter Johnson, and director, Arthur Abercromby, returned to Merseyside last night declining to comment on how discussions had gone. Rob son has been Johnson's first choice for the job ever since Joe Royle left office by mutual consent late last month.
However, it is still not certain that the 63-year-old former England manager will leave Barcelona at the end of this season. He still has 14 months of his contract left to run, worth an estimated £850,000, and, perhaps surprisingly, it seems that Barcelona would like to keep him, albeit to fill a less glamorous role as a coach.
"He has another year of his contract to run and will be staying with us next year to help coach the first team or some other area of the club," said a Barcelona spokesman yesterday.
Robson has not managed in England, at club level, since 1982 when he left Ipswich Town to take over his country's international side.
Another Everton director, Clifford Finch, said yesterday. "We have a list of possible candidates and there is a lot of talking still to be done. Bobby's experience is unquestionable not just in Europe and in England but in world terms as well".
