FOOTBALL : West Brom's Roy Hodgson approached to become England manager

Roy Hodgson has been approached by the England Football Association over the vacant England manager's and his club West Bromwich Albion have given the Football Association permission to talk.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp had been heavily linked with the job ever since Capello left the post in February, but has overseen an awful run of form with his club side Tottenham Hotspur while appearing to do nothing more than hold media briefings about the possible England job and that inaction combined with Redknapp's complete lack of international experience leave large question marks about the Spurs boss.

Instead, the FA has decided to discuss the position with Hodgson, who has previous international experience from his time in charge of Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Finland. FA chairman David Bernstein said: "Roy is the only manager we have approached and we remain on course to make an appointment within the timescale we set out."

The four-man panel which will decide who takes over from Capello are Bernstein, FA general secretary Alex Horne, FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking and managing director of Club England Adrian Bevington.

Bernstein approached West Brom on Saturday and was immediately given permission to speak to Hodgson, who is likely to be appointed within days in a long-term role. Hodgson's contract with West Brom ends on 30 June.

It is expected any contract will cover the three tournaments up to and including Euro 2016, at which point he will be two months short of his 69th birthday.