Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson expects Patrick Vieira to soon return to management.

Hodgson replaced Vieira after the Frenchman's dismissal a fortnight ago.

"I had dinner with him when he took the job," Hodgson said. "I always admired him very much as a player and had a chance to admire him as a person and get to know him that little bit.

"But of course when you come into a job and someone's just lost their job, unless he happens to be a close friend, it's not an easy thing to do to pick up the phone.

"I don't know quite what I would say to him. But I do know that Patrick Vieira has a big future ahead of him as a manager and there's no doubt he will get another club very, very soon.

"I can only hope that the experience he had here won't disturb his chances of doing very, very well in the next job because he has all the tools necessary to become a top manager."