Roy Hodgson left Wembley Stadium yesterday after four hours of talks, looking poised to take charge of the England team and clutching a draft itinerary for the European Championship.

While the discussions with Football Association executives were described as “positive,” the West Bromwich Albion manager is yet to be confirmed as Fabio Capello’s successor in the England job.

The FA overlooked the favourite, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, and opted instead to approach Hodgson about the England job.

The post has been vacant since Capello’s resignation in February but England is due to travel to Poland ahead of Euro 2012 at the start of June.

Tottenham’s Harry Redknapp had been bookmakers’ favourite to lead England since Fabio Capello quit in February but the Football Association chose not to interview him and has instead asked for – and received - permission from West Bromwich Albion to speak with Hodgson.

Britain’s famously opinionated newspapers widely predicted that Redknapp would be hired but the Spurs manager said yesterday that he was happy to continue his work at a club he is trying to guide into the Champions League for a second time.

Capello’s resignation and Redknapp’s elevation by the media coincided with a dramatic loss in form for Tottenham, which won just once in nine matches before returning to the top four of the Premier League with Sunday’s 2-0 win over Blackburn.

Redknapp previously said the England coaching role was the “ultimate” job for an English coach to aim for, but never said he would take it if it was offered and repeatedly praised Tottenham for backing him during a criminal trial for tax evasion.

Redknapp was cleared of the charges on the same day Capello quit.

With the England vacancy dominating agendas, reporters were eventually banned by Tottenham from asking Redknapp questions about the job.

Although Redknapp has transformed Tottenham since inheriting a relegation-threatened squad in October 2008, the 2008 FA Cup title with Portsmouth is his only major honour in a 30-year managerial career.

Hodgson has won a total eight league titles in two countries with three clubs and led two national teams. He guided unheralded Fulham to the 2010 Europa League final and was voted manager of the year by his fellow coaches for leading the west London club to a record-high position of seventh in the Premier League.