Roy Hodgson was appointed as Liverpool manager Thursday on a three-year contract as the Premier League club attempts to return to the Champions League after a disappointing season. The 62-year-old Englishman, who led Fulham to the Europa League final last season, was confirmed by Liverpool as the replacement for Rafael Benitez. Details of the contract were not disclosed. Benitez left Liverpool to join Inter Milan after the 2009 Premier League runner-up slumped to seventh place last season. “This is the biggest job in club football and I'm honored to be taking on the role of manager of Britain's most successful football club,” Hodgson told the Liverpool website. “I look forward to meeting the players and the supporters and getting down to work at Melwood.” Hodgson will be formally introduced as Liverpool's new manager at a news conference at Anfield, scheduled for 1230 GMT. Hodgson saved Fulham from relegation in 2008 and guided the west London club to an all-time best seventh place a season later. Fulham dipped to 12th this season but made it to only the second major final in the club's 131-year history before losing 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in Hamburg. Benitez's six years in charge at Anfield ended on June 3, and the Spaniard has since been hired by Inter Milan, one of Hodgson's former clubs. In a 34-year coaching career, Hodgson has had spells in England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Italy, where he was twice in-charge of Inter. Hodgson has also coached Finland, the UAE and Switzerland.
