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England: Five potential replacements for Roy Hodgson

By Freddie Boston

SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE - JUNE 20: England Manager / Head Coach Roy Hodgson walks onto the pitch at the end of the UEFA EURO 2016 Group B match between Slovakia and England at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on June 20, 2016 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)
SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE - JUNE 20: England Manager / Head Coach Roy Hodgson walks onto the pitch at the end of the UEFA EURO 2016 Group B match between Slovakia and England at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on June 20, 2016 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images) /
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NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND – MAY 15: Rafa Benitez Newcastle United manager reacts during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham at St James Park on May 15, 2016 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty images)
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND – MAY 15: Rafa Benitez Newcastle United manager reacts during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham at St James Park on May 15, 2016 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty images) /

Rafael Benitez

A potential under-the-radar candidate is Rafael Benitez. Benitez recently signed a new contract with Championship side Newcastle, but what does that really mean nowadays? How many players sign lucrative five-year contracts with clubs before getting sold 12 months later?

Benitez might feel commitment to Newcastle and the project he’s now working with. He wants to lead Newcastle back into the Premier League and make them a force again. But if the money is right, could he be tempted with the England job?

Let’s first look at his credentials. Benitez wouldn’t find this job too big for him, he’s succeeded at some of the world’s biggest teams. His resume boasts the likes of Liverpool, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Benitez has won two La Liga titles with Valencia, and he also guided them to a UEFA Cup trophy. He is a Champions League and FA Cup winner with Liverpool. Perhaps his most impressive honor was winning the Europa League with Chelsea, despite plenty of negativity thrown at him from his own fans.

Whether Benitez would even entertain the idea of taking over the England job is another question, but there’s no doubting he would be a good fit.

Next: A German for England?

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