Roy Hodgson is back in English football as the manager of Fulham more than nine years after leaving his only previous Premier League job, and the task that he faces in steering the London club to safety is likely to prove more challenging than that of getting Blackburn Rovers into Europe.

Fulham dropped into the bottom three on Boxing Day after a 5-1 thrashing away to Tottenham Hotspur and although Hodgson, 60, has managed Switzerland and Finland as well as leading club sides in Italy, Switzerland and Scandinavia in a 30-year coaching career, he will have to draw on all his experience once he discovers that the pressures at the foot of England’s top flight are even more intense than in his final days at Ewood Park.

Hodgson said yesterday that he was delighted to sign what is believed to be a three-year contract. “I’m determined that we will overcome the current position, which will be a challenge but one I will relish,” he said. “I am very much looking forward to training with the team on Sunday and will, of course, be at St Andrew’s to watch the vital clash against Birmingham City.”

Ray Lewington, the caretaker manager, and his assistant, Billy McKinlay - who played for Hodgson at Blackburn - will remain in charge against Birmingham today, but their successor may be underwhelmed by his first glimpse of the squad that he has inherited from Lawrie Sanchez, who was dismissed eight days ago. Fulham have not won away from home in the Barclays Premier League since September 2006, but Hodgson will not have long to assess the most urgent requirements before the opening on New Year’s Day of the transfer window, which coincides with his debut in the Craven Cottage dugout for the West London derby against Chelsea.

Hodgson was third-favourite for the job behind John Collins, the former Fulham midfield player who resigned as Hibernian manager nine days ago, and Terry Venables, but, as revealed in <i>The Times</i> yesterday, Venables was not contacted while Collins was regarded as lacking experience.

“It is my vision to combine the best of the fantastic traditions of the English Premier League with the flair and innate professionalism of the continental game, which I hope will return Fulham to its tradition of playing attractive passing football,” Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner, said in a clear reference to the direct style favoured by Sanchez but known to be unpopular with some players. “I believe that Roy has immense experience and can drive this club forward for the long term.”

That Hodgson has not worked in England since 1998, however, lends an element of risk to the appointment. He joined Blackburn from Inter Milan in June 1997, taking them to sixth place and qualifying for the Uefa Cup in his first season. He was touted as a possible manager of England and even Germany, but despite an outlay of £20 million on players at Blackburn, he departed in November 1998 after a home defeat by Southampton that left the team at the bottom of the table.

His managerial successes include multiple championships in Sweden with Halmstad and Malmö and in Denmark with FC Copenhagen, and a Uefa Cup final appearance with Inter. He took Switzerland to the finals of the 1994 World Cup and Euro 96 and narrowly failed to lead Finland into the finals of Euro 2008. His standing in the game meant that he was consulted by Brian Barwick, the FA chief executive, before the appointment of Fabio Capello as England manager.

Road to the Cottage:

Born August 9, 1947
1965-75 Player with Crystal Palace, Maidstone and Berea Park, the South African side
1976 Started managerial career with Halmstad, in Sweden, winning two championships
1980 Joined Bristol City as assistant manager
1982 Appointed manager at Ashton Gate but dismissed within four months. Returned to Sweden, winning five consecutive championships and two Swedish Cups with Malmö
1990 Left Sweden for Neuchâtel Xamax, Switzerland
1992 Manager of Switzerland
1995 Manager of Inter Milan
1997 Agrees to become Blackburn Rovers manager
1998 Sacked in his second season after Blackburn take only nine points from 14 games
2000 Appointed coach of FC Copenhagen
2001 Four-month stint as manager of Udinese, the Serie A club
2002 Appointed manager of United Arab Emirates
2004 Sacked after leading side to fifth place at the Gulf Cup
2005 Appointed Finland manager
2007 Resigns after failing to secure qualification for Euro 2008. Linked with Ireland vacancy before being named as Fulham manager