Roy who? Germans slate Hodgson appointment

Bayen Munich playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger - who is a lynchpin for both club and country - poured huge praise on the Spurs boss.

"The work that Harry Redknapp has done at Tottenham is perfect," said the 27-year-old, adding that he knew nothing about new England boss Hodgson beyond his name.

"The other one, I just don't know," he said. "I can't tell you anything about what he's like with players, or how he trains them. I've heard more about Redknapp at Tottenham and I saw them play very good football in the Champions League."

Germany skipper Philipp Lahm was more succinct: "I don't know him," he said when asked his opinion of Hodgson. "No, I'm sorry."

But Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes was more forthcoming, however, openly questioning the FA's decision to avoid choosing Redknapp.

"I don't know him (Hodgson) that well. But I've followed the discussions and also heard the opinions of the national team players and they would have preferred the Tottenham manager," said Heynckes.

"But as it is so often with national associations, they don't listen. I cannot say whether it's a good or a bad appointment because I don't know him that well.

"He was with Internazionale, and with the Switzerland side, so he has international experience. But to be the manager of the English national team is not that easy.

"What do I know? Maybe there were difficulties, or problems with Harry Redknapp."

He also claimed that the FA have made Hodgson's task all but impossible by giving him barely any time to settle into the job.

"The timing is very tight now. If you know the English league, that's a start. But you've got to have a relationship with the players and establish that," he said.

"For a tournament like this that is very important. Especially for the atmosphere within the team."

Heynckes stuck the boot in even further, saying that the Germans would never have waited so long to appoint someone new following Capello's resignation.

"I cannot imagine that at all," he said. "Absolutely not. Because we have a totally different mentality. I don't think it would be possible in Germany. They would have sorted it out way, way before."