Hodgson to tackle England penalty jinx
london — England manager Roy Hodgson says he is willing to think outside the box in a bid to end the national team’s record of penalty shoot-out heartache at major international tournaments.
England have been eliminated on penalties at five of the last eight showpiece competitions in which they have competed and former head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson admitted in his new autobiography that he regretted not seeking out the services of a mental coach.
The Football Association has moved to address the problem by employing Dave Reddin, who helped the British Olympic team with their psychological preparations for last year’s London Games, and Hodgson says he is looking forward to working with him.
“To suggest that the mental side plays no part, that’s a nonsense. Of course it does,” Hodgson said.
“Whether or not someone who’s a trained psychologist could actually help a player shoot better from a penalty shoot-out or whether his club and his coaches and manager can help him, that’s a discussion. “But I’ve got an open mind on the subject, I really have. I’m prepared to listen to the expertise and also to involve the players in it, because there’s no point in doing anything with the players at the level I’m working at that they’re not prepared to buy into. Otherwise it’s just a waste of time.” —