The England manager's job has always been seen as a bit of a poisoned chalice.
There are always those thinking they deserve a shot and then those that never get it, but should have been given the role.
Roy Hodgson was a safe pair of hands after Fabio Capello and on May 1st 2012, he signed a four-year deal that would take him through to this year's EUROs in France.
Doubts arose after the early elimination from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil - a dismal finals that saw England beaten twice and held by Costa Rica.
Hodgson's style of play has never endeared himself to many fans and watching England in action can be like watching paint dry, but the team always qualifies for major tournaments and just lately, 'Roy's boys' are playing with a little more attacking promise.
With qualification to the next round a must, has Roy done enough to earn himself a new contract? Here are FIVE reasons why he has...
Bags of Experience
Roy Hodgson's managerial experience is impressive. From managing Swedish club teams in the 1970s to becoming a national manager, then Inter Milan boss amongst a host of others, including Liverpool, he has the experience that few of his contemporaries have.
European knowledge is vital in this role and few can boast his credentials. In the four years he has been the England manager, the team have always qualified, even if the finals have been a disappointment. He came in on the back of Capello's work in 2012 and took a squad of over-hyped players to a disastrous 2014 World Cup. This time, he has gone for youth, perhaps with 2018 in mind for either himself or a successor. In France, he looks as though he's learnt from the experience of two previous tournaments and also shifted from tried and tested to some new and exciting additions.
Very good England Record
Under Hodgson England won all of their games in their qualifying group for the tournament in France, but the memory that sticks is the 2014 World Cup, where England went out in the group stage without winning a game. So often, England expected to do better than they did, but Roy's record at international level is roughly a 58% win rate, a return that only Sven-Goran Eriksson has bettered in recent years. The style of play has never been particularly easy on the eye, but it has been effective and the 2016 EUROs could be Roy's best yet.
New generation of players
Hodgson included seven players under the age of 23 in his final squad for the tournament in France. It has seemingly taken a few years to go from the ageing to inexperienced, from declining to dynamic, from tried and trusted to unknowns embarking on a voyage of discovery. They took their oldest selection ever World Cup squad to South Africa in 2010, but EURO 2016 has been undertaken with a very young group.
Wayne Rooney was quoted by the BBC as saying: ‘There was a big issue in terms of everyone saying we didn’t have the young players coming through in England which other countries had. In fairness to the Premier League clubs they’ve brought young players through and Roy has picked them. Roy gives youth its chance, if it's perceived to be good enough and Marcus Rashford is evidence of this. With Hodgson, youth stand a chance. In my opinion he has not only created a very good team but also a fantastic atmosphere around the training ground when we meet up, and a great base for England's future in the next six to eight years."
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Supreme Integrity
Hodgson's integrity and diplomacy is as British as you can get. Even if you are not a fan of his style of play, the way he conducts himself is typical of a man of his age and standing.
Even though the FA would not be giving him a new deal until after EURO 2016 to avoid the "unsavoury position" that emerged under Italian Fabio Capello, Hodgson acknowledged that way of thinking and made no bones about it. Dignity and diplomacy are Roy's traits and the right man when dealing with the press or as an ambassador for the England team.
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No Replacements
The Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has said that only reaching the semi-finals of EURO 2016 will guarantee Roy Hodgson a new contract as England manager. It's a difficult situation for the FA if England don't do well, as there is a clear feeling of wanting Hodgson to stay from so many corners.
The reaction of the fans, the players and the media will need to be taken into consideration as will a complete lack of any stand-out replacements. Those that were held in high regard before, like Brendan Rodgers, have now blotted their copybook and that means that the field of choice is extremely devoid of quality. Last December FA chief executive Martin Glenn indicated that he hoped the manager would remain after the finals. The FA prefer an English, British or so-called ‘homegrown’ manager if Hodgson is replaced and if Roy does go, the FA could turn to turn to England under-21 coach Gareth Southgate, but let's hope not.
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