Roy Hodgson would quit England if fans turned against him

Roy Hodgson has said he will quit as England manager if the fans turn against him after next year’s European Championships.

Despite failing to win a match at last year's World Cup, the 67-year-old's position as national boss is strong thanks to an unbeaten run of eight matches since.

Hodgson is aware, however, that many of his predecessors have been sacked after they failed at major tournaments and if he feels England supporters turn against him following the European Championships in France next summer, he will voluntarily leave his post.

"It's tempting to think that one could stay longer, but it has got to be wanted, first by the FA (Football Association), and it has to be wanted by the English people," Hodgson said.

"Sven (Goran Eriksson) and Fabio (Capello) were not that unpopular going into the tournament, but they come out of the tournament and everyone is saying 'oh god, we don't want the next two years (with them)'.

"I don't want that at 68 or 69 years of age."

Hodgson insists he loves his job, however, but would want that to continue if he is to remain in the role.

The former Liverpool manager will not seek contract talks with the FA in the build up to next year's European Championship and insists talk over his future will not overshadow the team's preparations for the tournament.

"I love doing the job," he added.

"I am happy doing the job at the moment. I would want that to continue if I was to continue. If I felt that that was not to be and that my time actually was being called, I would prefer to move away.

"I don't know if I want to carry on or not.

"If you could promise me my life would be as great as it is at the moment for the next three years, of course I would be delighted to carry on. But I am a football realist. I know what football does and can do.

"I also know what overstaying your welcome can do and I would really not want to do that.

"It may be a good question for the FA, but I am very comfortable at the moment. If 2016 is my last tournament, I won't be bitterly disappointed. If I can be persuaded to carry on, who knows?

"I am happy and I am relatively healthy and I would have not thought my age was my handicap."

England coach Gary Neville and U21 boss Gareth Southgate are the bookmakers' favourites to succeed Hodgson and both men are understood to have their admirers on the FA board.

Beyond those two, there are few English alternatives, and though Hodgson accepts that lucrative punditry work can be too hard to turn down for some ex-pros, he is worried about the dwindling number of players who go into management.

He added: "Talented managers are losing their jobs and you don't know when they are going to surface again because there aren't many opportunities.

"You get people like Graeme Souness and Glenn Hoddle who are gifted football people, both fantastic players and both had successful record as managers, but you don't see them rushing to be involved."

Hodgson will join up with the England squad again next week ahead of their double-header against the Republic of Ireland and Slovenia.

Danny Welbeck has been ruled out of the two fixtures because of a knee injury, but Hodgson says he will not call up a replacement.

Should one of his 23-man squad suffer an injury this weekend, Hodgson says he will call up Aston Villa's in-form midfielder Tom Cleverley, who has not played for England since November 2013.