ROY Hodgson has targeted a return to the Champions League after being unveiled as the new Liverpool boss.

Hodgson today signed a three-year deal to succeed Rafael Benitez in the Anfield hot-seat and is hoping to get the Merseysiders back in the top four. Click on our wordcloud to see his answers, and which words he used the most.

He said: “This is a very big club, a club with enormous tradition and when the club is sold it will get stronger rather than weaker.

“My priority is to try to get the team doing better than last season and get them back into the Champions League spots.”

Hodgson led Fulham into the final of the Europa League last season and felt now was a good time to make the step up to a club with greater expectation.

He added: “It is the right move for me at this stage of my career.

“I am here on merit, I know the club did their homework before asking me to be their manager and my aim is to work for the club and the people of Liverpool.”

One of Hodgson’s first tasks will be to meet experienced campaigners Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher this afternoon.

“I am anxious to meet them,” he said. “They are two key players and two key players in my future at this club. I need to know how they feel and talk to them about general things.”

Hodgson had been mentioned as a possible replacement for England boss Fabio Capello, should the Football Association decide to end the Italian's contract early.

The FA are due to make a decision on Capello’s position in the next fortnight, but Hodgson did not consider waiting to discover whether the England job become available before agreeing to take over at Anfield.

“No, that wasn’t the case to be honest,” he added.

“When this job was first discussed with me there was no idea that there might be a change in the England set-up.

“Also as a second point I don’t expect a change in the England set-up. Thirdly there was never a case of me thinking of holding on and hedging my bets about that because I wanted to be here.

“The only question in my mind, after Liverpool had completed the due process to decide on who would be the manager, was whether or not it would be me.”

The former Fulham boss was unwilling to discuss the transfer funds likely to be available to him, with suggestions he will have to sell players to bring some in because of the club’s financial state.

“It’s not the right time to talk about that,” he said.