Palace’s boss goes up against Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez today with the duo having a combined age of 127 years of experience standing on the touchline.

Both clubs are in desperate need of points, with Palace just three clear of the bottom three and Newcastle just one above the drop zone.

Hodgson, 70, has worked wonders at Palace since taking over and believes his years honed managing clubs around the world has helped. And the same goes for Benitez.

Hodgson said: “There is still room for experienced managers in football. We are experienced managers but we are also coaches as well.

“The way Rafa has turned Newcastle around is not just down to his managerial skills or his recruitment skills alone.

“I am sure it is also due to the fact he has worked hard with the players in training and tried to get them to understand his ideas on team play in the same way we have here.

“Experience can be an added bonus but it is not purely down to experience that they have done well.

“It is also down to them having a manager who works with the team and encourages them to play organised football, both when they have the ball and when they don’t have it.

Palace’s boss goes up against Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez today with the duo having a combined age of 127 years of experience standing on the touchline.

Both clubs are in desperate need of points, with Palace just three clear of the bottom three and Newcastle just one above the drop zone.

Hodgson, 70, has worked wonders at Palace since taking over and believes his years honed managing clubs around the world has helped. And the same goes for Benitez.

Hodgson said: “There is still room for experienced managers in football. We are experienced managers but we are also coaches as well.

“The way Rafa has turned Newcastle around is not just down to his managerial skills or his recruitment skills alone.

“I am sure it is also due to the fact he has worked hard with the players in training and tried to get them to understand his ideas on team play in the same way we have here.

“Experience can be an added bonus but it is not purely down to experience that they have done well.

“It is also down to them having a manager who works with the team and encourages them to play organised football, both when they have the ball and when they don’t have it.

Palace’s boss goes up against Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez today with the duo having a combined age of 127 years of experience standing on the touchline.

Both clubs are in desperate need of points, with Palace just three clear of the bottom three and Newcastle just one above the drop zone.

Hodgson, 70, has worked wonders at Palace since taking over and believes his years honed managing clubs around the world has helped. And the same goes for Benitez.

Hodgson said: “There is still room for experienced managers in football. We are experienced managers but we are also coaches as well.

“The way Rafa has turned Newcastle around is not just down to his managerial skills or his recruitment skills alone.

“I am sure it is also due to the fact he has worked hard with the players in training and tried to get them to understand his ideas on team play in the same way we have here.

“Experience can be an added bonus but it is not purely down to experience that they have done well.

“It is also down to them having a manager who works with the team and encourages them to play organised football, both when they have the ball and when they don’t have it.

Palace’s boss goes up against Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez today with the duo having a combined age of 127 years of experience standing on the touchline.

Both clubs are in desperate need of points, with Palace just three clear of the bottom three and Newcastle just one above the drop zone.

Hodgson, 70, has worked wonders at Palace since taking over and believes his years honed managing clubs around the world has helped. And the same goes for Benitez.

Hodgson said: “There is still room for experienced managers in football. We are experienced managers but we are also coaches as well.

“The way Rafa has turned Newcastle around is not just down to his managerial skills or his recruitment skills alone.

“I am sure it is also due to the fact he has worked hard with the players in training and tried to get them to understand his ideas on team play in the same way we have here.

“Experience can be an added bonus but it is not purely down to experience that they have done well.

“It is also down to them having a manager who works with the team and encourages them to play organised football, both when they have the ball and when they don’t have it.