ROY: I WON’T GO BEGGING
Boss makes a stand ahead of Euro crunch
ROY HODGSON will only carry on as England manager if the FA make it clear they want him to.
There have been some testing moments since the 68- year- old succeeded Fabio Capello as boss of the national side back in May, 2012.
And there are reports that top executives at the governing body were unsettled by the wholesale changes against Slovakia, which ended in a goalless draw and saw them overtaken by Wales as the winners of Group B.
Ahead of tomorrow’s crunch tie with Iceland, Hodgson said: “I am prepared to carry on. It is different to wanting it.
“So I’m not begging for the job I believe in what I’ve done.”
ROY HODGSON is prepared to carry on as England manager beyond Euro 2016 – but will not be “begging” the FA for a contract extension.
There have been some testing moments since the 68- year- old succeeded Fabio Capello in May 2012, but things appear to be looking up after the World Cup debacle of two years ago.
Hodgson was perhaps fortunate to keep his job after bowing out at the group stage in Brazil. But he’s repaid the FA’s faith by sealing qualification for Euro 2016 with a 100% record.
Reports this week have, though, suggested executives at the governing body were unsettled by the wholesale changes made last time out against Slovakia, which ended in a goalless draw and saw them usurped by Wales as Group B winners.
It means England are in a much harder half of the draw and hosts France may well lie in wait at the quarter-final juncture should they overcome Iceland in the last 16 on Monday.
Outgoing FA chairman Greg Dyke has made it clear Hodgson may need to reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals to be assured of an extension beyond the end of his contract this summer, but the Three Lions boss will not be begging to stay on for the 2018 World Cup.
“I am prepared to carry on,” he said. “It is different to wanting it. I’m prepared to carry on if the FA want me to.
“If they don’t want me to, then my contract will have run out and that is how that will be, so I’m not begging for the job.
“I believe in what I’ve done in particular over the last couple of years.
“I believe in the team I am working with and believe the team is showing such potential that it will go on to do good things. If the FA want me to continue with me looking after them I will be happy to do so.”
Asked if this feels like the start of something for England, he said: “Well, that depends. I think it can do.
“I know that I and my coaching staff are capable of carrying it on, but the FA will make the decision on what they want to do.
“One hopes that they will do it on their thinking, on their observations, on their judgement and analysis of what is happening with the national team and not because some journalist has written something contrary to that.”
Hodgson was unusually tetchy when asked whether it was cruel to be judged on one game, telling a reporter: “Don’t ask me to make stupid comments on that.”
Regardless of the progress made over recent years, though, defeat to Iceland in Nice could well cost the England manager his job.
“To be honest, I am not even contemplating going out to Iceland,” Hodgson said.
“I haven’t contemplated losing a game yet.
“I’ve had to accept two draws which I would have liked to have seen be wins, so I am not contemplating anything there.”
Hodgson remains philosophical about England’s draws against Russia and Slovakia but the frustration at his side’s lack of cutting edge is clear.
“I’m happy with the work they’re doing,” Hodgson said of his attackers.
“I am just unhappy that the dominance is not leading to the goals.
“Obviously we have to be better in that area and everyone knows it because if we don’t score goals we can’t continue in the competition. It’s no good.
“You don’t get prizes for possession, you don’t get prizes for the most corners, you don’t get prizes for having the best of the play. You get prizes if you win.
“And really our performance against Wales was no better than our performance against Slovakia or Russia.
“Arguably in many areas it perhaps wasn’t even as good. But we won so that was a great game and the other two were bad games. That’s how it is. We know that.
“And now it’s very simple – if we don’t win now, we go home. So we had better start making sure we score our goalscoring chances.”
Bowing out to a country of 330,000 would send shockwaves around the footballing world, but what Iceland lack in depth they make up for in talent and hard work – something Hodgson has highlighted to his players.
The England boss knows better than most the threat they pose having been friends with counterpart Lars Lagerback for 40 years.
Hodgson has faith his team will cope with whatever is thrown at them in Nice, despite his heavily-rotated side having failed to find a way past Slovakia in St Etienne last Monday.
The 68-year-old does not regret the decision to make six alterations, pointing to the changes to the side that ended against Wales, Jordan Henderson’s display and the fact full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker are used to being rotated at Tottenham.