The 62-year-old's appointment on a three-year contract at Anfield has received a lukewarm response in some quarters.

Despite his relative success with Fulham, making them a solid mid-table Premier League side and guiding them to the Europa League final, there are those who still remember his unsuccessful spell at Blackburn between 1997 and 1998.

Hodgson led a side which narrowly escaped relegation to a sixth-placed finish in his first season only to be sacked in December 1998 with the club bottom of the table.

But Hodgson still defends his time at Ewood Park and said: "Blackburn was the only place I have been sacked and that was somewhat harsh. I took a team which had avoided relegation by one point into European football and then lost four of the very best players - three to injury and one to a forced sale to Rangers - the following year.

"Admittedly the start of the following season was not as good and we built up expectations but it is difficult for me to see Blackburn as a complete failure. I did make mistakes there; you always make mistakes when you fail somewhere. I have analysed those failures but I don't think they were quite as blatant as some people would like to think."

Liverpool new coach

PA Sport