We all expected it. We all wanted it. We all waited for it. And yet again, it hasn't happened. Once again, England football fans, the media and the world are left scratching their heads in disbelief as red-hot favourite Harry Redknapp is overlooked for the England manager's job in favour of the less popular Roy Hodgson.

The FA have ignored the pleas of fans, footballers, managers and TV pundits alike by choosing not to approach the man who has almost single-handedly turned Tottenham Hotspur into one of the most exciting teams in the country. Instead they have chosen the manager of (with all due respect) an average Premiership team. It's the Steve McLaren saga all over again!

But before we all get on our high horse and slam the FA for making this decision, let's put things in to perspective.

Almost every England fan out there wants an English manager, which is understandable following the reigns of Eriksson and Capello. But not only that, they want a manager with a wealth of experience and a history of success. They want a respectable manager who gets the most out of his players and in turn, they want a manager who commands respect from his players. They want somebody who is approachable and media friendly.

Roy Hodgson ticks all of these boxes.

Hodgson has 36 years of managerial experience behind him. He has been a club manager in five different countries and an international manager in three.  At club level, he has won seven Swedish league championships and two Swedish cups. He has also won the league championship in Denmark. He guided Inter Milan to the Uefa Cup final in 1997 and Fulham to the Europe League final in 2010.

At international level, he had huge success as manager of Switzerland. He guided them to the 1994 World Cup, which was their first major tournament in 28 years. He also helped them qualify for the European Championships for the first time ever in 1996. During his tenure, Switzerland climbed to an astonishing 3rd in the FIFA world rankings. He also guided Finland to their highest world ranking and came close to helping them qualify for a major tournament for the first time.

A lot of players who have played under Hodgson have nothing but praise for him and his managerial style. He is very technically minded and is renowned for his tactical expertise. When it comes to interviews with the media, Hodgson is always the epitome of politeness and honesty.

On paper, Hodgson surely is the right man for the job. He has more managerial experience than Redknapp, he has had more success than Redknapp and has experience on the international stage, whilst Redknapp has none.

The only blot on Hodgson's otherwise impressive CV is his experience as manager of Liverpool. He oversaw a disastrous six months in charge at Anfield, which will certainly bring in to question his integrity as a manager of a big club. His fiercest critics will most certainly use this experience at Liverpool against him.

He was also an unpopular choice from day one, with many Liverpool fans preferring Kenny Dalglish. With most fans wanting Redknapp in charge of England, could lightning strike twice?

But let's face facts. For too long now, the FA have relied too heavily on a quick fix to resolve England's woes. Various managers have come and gone down the years in an attempt to eradicate the stench of mediocrity in the England camp. But there have always been issues. Unrest amongst the players, a lack of desire to represent their country, poor communication between managers and players and negative stories in the press are just some of these issues.

One can't help but think that appointing Redknapp, with his spontaneous and glossy approach to the game, may result in a respectable showing at Euro 2012, but would produce very little beyond that. These characteristics make Redknapp an excellent Premier League manager, but on the international stage it is a completely different kettle of fish.

The decision by the FA to appoint a manager who will help develop the international game from the youth system upwards is a very welcome one. With the opening of England's new training centre in Burton in August, they need a manager who can be based there at all times rebuilding England's fragile infrastructure and can help develop players at an early age as well as improving the current squad. They need a manager that fits long-term strategy, one that goes far beyond Euro 2012.

Hodgson fits this mould better than Redknapp. He is already based in the Midlands whilst Redknapp is based on the South coast with little desire to move away. Hodgson also works out cheaper. The FA would need to fork out £10m in compensation for Redknapp while Hodgson is out of contract in the summer. But there are other reasons that go far beyond practicality.

Hodgson will thoroughly scrutinise every member of the squad, strip the squad down to its bare bones and re-build it from the bottom upwards. He will ensure everyone plays as a team, not as individuals. He has never been one for favouritism in his squad, so any egos in the England squad will be removed from the equation. Hodgson will bring in functionality, organisation and discipline. Just what England don't have.

But ultimately, he will instill belief into every single player at his disposal. This is the one quality that Hodgson has ahead of almost every other manager in the league. As well as his unprecedented success with Switzerland, he guided a very average Blackburn Rovers side into Europe, he defied everyone by taking Fulham from relegation certainties to the final of the Europa League. And he has turned West Brom from a yo-yo team in to a stable Premier League club.

In short, he has the ability to make average teams look good. And that is exactly what England are at the moment: average.

The pressure surrounding Hodgson will be massive from day one, purely because he is not Harry Redknapp. One bad result or bad performance, and the media will be all over him. But given the country's recent history and the need for a long-term solution, it is the right decision at this time.

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