With Roy Hodgson's appointment as Fulham manager, eurosport.yahoo.com questions if he is the right man for the job.

There is no doubting that Roy Hodgson is a brave man - as anyone who takes over at the helm of a relegation-threatened club has to be. Either that or stupid, and Hodgson is certainly not lacking in intelligence.

But has the former Internazionale manager got what it takes to succeed in the Premier League, considering his last attempt - with Blackburn Rovers back in 1997 - ended in a parting of ways 'by mutual consent' after just over a year in charge?

While few can argue with Hodgson's credentials as a continental coach - he took Switzerland to the World Cup finals in 1994 and Euro 96 and he reached the UEFA Cup final with Inter in 1997 - he has done little since then to make him stand out as a tactician who is capable of succeeding in the current cut-throat climate of the Premier League.

True, he recently guided unfancied Finland to the brink of qualification for Euro 2008, but his last real achievement as a manager was winning the Danish Superliga crown with FC Copenhagen back in 2001 - and bear in mind that Danish domestic football is hardly an ideal barometer of success.

Since then, he has coached Serie A outfit Udinese without winning any honours, been sacked by the United Arab Emirates after a terrible performance in the Gulf Cup and spent two unremarkable seasons at eight-times Norwegian champions Viking.

His latest venture with Finland threatened to bring him some of the kudos he seems to be regularly associated with and that once saw him touted for the Germany and England jobs, but there remain many question marks over his ability to make the grade in the English top flight.

And with Fulham's current poor form suggesting their Premier League status is very much in the balance, the Croydon-born coach must be under no illusions of the size of the task he is taking on.

Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed wants Hodgson to use all his European experience to bring attractive football back to Craven Cottage and the signing of a "long-term" deal indicates the 60-year-old will be able to count on a degree of patience from his new employers.

But how he goes about turning round the club's fortunes is sure to come under intense scrutiny, and as we have already seen so far this season, a Premier League manager's position can become extremely precarious all too quickly.

Only time will tell if Hodgson can make the grade back in England; he has definitely been given a great chance to get onside with the Fulham faithful early on in his new career when he takes charge for the first time in the west London derby against local rivals Chelsea on New Year's Day.

It may be a baptism of fire, but winning something from that game would certainly get him off to a new start - and go some way to silencing the doubters.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport