adminEngland manager Roy Hodgson says his side were making progress even before the “cold shower” of World Cup failure. Hodgson has presided over five successive victories since exiting at group stage in Brazil and takes his side to meet Scotland on Tuesday. “We were doing a lot of things right leading up to Brazil, but the World Cup was a real cold shower.
“Supposedly we had to start again, but I don’t think that. We’d always been working towards where we are today,” said Hodgson.
Saturday’s 3-1 win against Slovenia at Wembley was England’s fourth from four Euro 2016 qualifiers and left them six points clear at the top of Group E. And Hodgson claims the trauma of England’s early departure in South America convinced him to give a new generation of talent responsibility in the Euro qualifiers.
Liverpool attacker Raheem Sterling has now become an integral part of the England set-up, Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere has cemented his place and Everton teenager Ross Barkley is also ready to press his claims for a regular starting berth.
“A lot of players were beginning to emerge and stake their claim just before the World Cup, players who hadn’t necessarily fully succeeded. I’d like to think some of the players we’ve brought in have shown signs they can justify the confidence I’ve shown in them,” he said. – BBC.
Online Reporter