AS someone, by nature, who is extremely well organised and methodical, Roy Hodgson would not have ordinarily done things this way. Given no more than 40 days' grace between his appointment and his first competitive game at Euro 2012, he would have preferred greater preparation time to start life as England boss.

No matter who has worked with him in the past, they have described him as a stickler for planning and repetition. Whether it was his three previous international roles with Switzerland, Finland or the United Arab Emirates or his last club role at West Bromwich Albion, he has always stuck to what he feels works: routine.

He has coached in eight different countries, but has not always been successful.

He was sacked after a short spell at Blackburn 14 years ago and not too long ago lost his job at Liverpool after just six months in charge.

Such failings, however, are far outweighed by his success stories.

What Hodgson, in the short period of time he has had to work with his first squad, will aim to ensure is that the 23 players he has with him at the European Championships know exactly what their role is.

He is a system manager.

He will not be looking to be clever, just effective.

Whether it has been the UAE, Inter Milan or Fulham, the 64-year-old has looked to have all of his teams defend in a similar way.

They have tended to move backwards and forwards in a zonal defensive way, so in the build up to Euro 2012 he will want every one of his players to know what part they have to play in such a basic system.

His teams are normally set up with two banks of four across the middle. Expect to see two central midfielders, two wingers and two forwards, even if one of those drops slightly deeper than the other, which looks like being Manchester United's Ashley Young.

And when open training sessions are held, expect to witness Hodgson taking them himself, coaching his players through in the hope each individual carries out their duties as part of a welloiled machine.

There will be defensive and attacking drills. He will be looking for his new-look backroom team, including Gary Neville, to help to put his plans in to practice.

As a member of the UEFA technical study group his knowledge of the game, both at home and abroad, was one of the key reasons why the Football Association opted for him rather than London media darling Harry Redknapp.

But where Redknapp's charm on the people almost worked, Hodgson's greater track record earned him a four-year contract.

He would readily admit he was just an average player with Maidstone United, Tonbridge Angels and Crystal Palace reserves in the 1960s, but as a coach he soon built up a reputation as one of the best around.

Long before he took Fulham to the final of the Europa Lague in 2010, the rest of the continent were well aware of the 'Englishman Roy Hodgson'.

According to FA chairman David Bernstein, he could "walk in to training grounds around the world and command instant respect".

The eight domestic titles he has won in countries such as Denmark and Sweden earned him international roles, making him the first to have been appointed by the FA boasting such experience.

Whatever he has achieved in the past, however, will mean very little to him if he is unable to make a real go of turning England into a force in the international arena again.

His first task will be to negotiate a group of France, Sweden and Ukraine and, it has been said numerous times already, the hope is his lack of time in the job could ease the pressure on England to perform.

Succeeding, though, is high in his mind."We will always go into tournaments believing we can win because we are a major football nation, " said Hodgson.

"It's not going to be easy and it will be even more difficult on this occasion because the man who qualified the team (Fabio Capello) has left and I've come in at a very late stage."It's very important everyone gets behind the team and gets behind the players.

"It's a big job to win people over and the only way I can do that is by doing the job I know I can do.

"Courtesy of one ill-judged headline in one British national newspaper on the morning after his appointment highlighting his rhotacism problem, the public has already cut him some slack.

Only results, though, will keep the fans - and the media - on side.

Whether Euro 2012 will be his finest hour has to be in doubt.

With time, more planning and routine, Hodgson will be hoping to become a rare hero at the forefront of the national team.

Sounds simple but, as he found to his cost at Liverpool, such arduous techniques can be boring for those he is coaching.