Manager Roy Hodgson has said he was ‘proud’ of his Watford players after their display in the 1-0 loss against Crystal Palace. Going into the match knowing their fate was as good as sealed, Hodgson explained that he was happy with the efforts of his players. Speaking to the press after the game, he said he was grateful for the warm reception he received from his former club,
Roy Hodgson said: “I was also very proud of the team’s performance. I thought that was a really good effort.”
The 74-year-old admitted that he knew the club had no hope of surviving after last weekend’s results which saw them concede twice to lose against Burnley, having been in front.
Roy Hodgson said: “That left us 12 points, plus goal difference, behind not only one team, but behind three teams, and I felt pretty bad then because that was pretty obvious we were relegated.”
Reflecting on the game, the former England manager praised the Watford players for making it a tight game against a ‘strong’ Palace team. He also questioned the decision to penalise Hasanne Kamara for handling the ball in the penalty area – claiming that the left-back was pushed before giving away what would be the pivotal penalty.
Roy Hodgson added: “We go 1-0 down to a penalty. Our players in the box are convinced that there was a foul, [Hasanne] Kamara was pushed, and that’s what provoked the handball. And then in the second half, after 15, 20 minutes, we go down to ten men. And yet, still, we remain competitive to the last.
This is the first time Hodgson has been relegated as a Premier League manager. A record he wasn’t glad to have seen come to an end.
Roy Hodgson said: “I think that’s fairly obvious how I feel. I’ve never sat and given a press conference in charge of a team that has been relegated. So it’s a first for me. And it was at first I wasn’t looking forward to claiming. I haven’t felt good all week. And as I’ve said, now on two or three occasions, the only thing that has cheered me up was the fact that the players today showed such a lot of character and gave a good performance against the strong Crystal Palace team.”
