TALK IS CHEAP
Roy has pop back at mouthy Welsh
ROY HODGSON stoked the fire ahead of today’s huge Euro 2016 clash against Wales by warning their loose-lipped neighbours: talk is cheap.
gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have led stinging attacks on Hodgson’s squad, saying they lack passion and claiming not a single England player would make it into the Wales team.
But Hodgson came out fighting here yesterday, claiming the pressure is on Wales to back up their outbursts. ‘ Talk is talk; action on the field is action on the field,’ said the England boss (right).
‘It surprises me that people are focusing on the talking. If we really took it seriously, thinking about what people in the other team are saying, and allowed it to affect our concentration, we’d be ashamed of ourselves. We’re perfectly satisfied with the passion we bring to our games. We don’t doubt our passion, desire or commitment, or our wish to do well in the
tournament. If others think they are better at it, it’s fine by me. But it’s not worthy of comment.’ Coleman refused to downplay his players’ seemingly deliberate public taunting of England, claiming he doesn’t care if his squad have upset their rivals. Despite hearing Hodgson’s remarks, he defended his players. ‘If that’s their opinion, that’s up to them,’ said Coleman, whose side won their opening game and would qualify for the last 16 with victory today. ‘We can’t worry about upsetting the opposition, whoever they are. It was always going to turn into this but it’s about what happens on the pitch. All that other stuff is irrelevant. We don’t go into mind games. Let’s just get down to business. ‘We didn’t want (to draw) England because of the circus that comes with England — that’s not their fault. But this is a big game for us.’ Today’s outcome is likely to depend on how England, who are set to name an unchanged starting XI from the draw with Russia, deal with Bale. However, captain Wayne Rooney insists his side must not be fixated on the Real Madrid superstar. ‘Gareth Bale is a fantastic player, but Wales have a lot of good players in their team,’ he said. ‘It’s not England versus Bale, it’s England versus Wales. We have to stop a lot of their players.’