Hodgson points to a brighter future

Roy Hodgson remains confident he is the right man to manage England, despite overseeing the country’s first World Cup group stage exit since 1958.

Having suffered defeats to Italy and Uruguay, the last remaining slither of hope was extinguished on Friday as Costa Rica shocked the Azzurri.

The result saw the Three Lions exit at the pool stage for the first time in 56 years, and has inevitably led to an inquest into their shortcomings, with many critics pointing the finger at manager Hodgson.

It has seen the England manager’s position come under scrutiny, although the FA attempted to nip that in the bud by giving him their unequivocal backing before the exit was rubber stamped.

Numerous players have echoed that support and Hodgson himself is confident he is the right man for the job.

“I think the players reacted to the work we have done,” he said, when asked why he was the right man to carry on.

“I think the fact we have brought in so many young players at the last minute, we didn’t even have some of these players in November, so it has been quite a late emergence.

“I think the players are a very, very strong group, a solid group. I believe they are more than accepting of the work we are trying to do, they share our belief, they share our goals, they share our vision.

“As a result of the backing of the FA and the people around me, I feel I am the right man to continue.”

Asked if in such a brutal trade he felt fortunate to get such backing from his employers, he told a packed press conference: “It’s a good question and I don’t know how to answer it, really.

“Of course I am very pleased to have had that backing. Scapegoats are always necessary in times of failure and one understands that, after being in football for a long time.

“But one would like to think that the work you do is judged over a long period of time and it’s not quite so cynical that you work for two years, you work every day, you do a lot of things in terms of preparation and it all boils down to the referee deciding whether you should or shouldn’t have a penalty.

“You’d like to think that the people who are judging you are judging you on your ability, what you bring to the job and what qualities you have and what you can do for them going forwards.”

Those in power may not be in such a forgiving mood should England lose their final Group D match against Costa Rica tomorrow.

The central Americans may well field several back-up players, with progression to the last-16 already secured, while Hodgson confirmed England’s peripheral players would be getting minutes in Belo Horizonte.

Some of those he believes are “world-class players in the making” and he bemoaned the fine margins that cost his side in Brazil.

“I’ve got to say in the Uruguay game, for example, I thought we were actually playing well in the second half, I thought we were pretty much in control of the game,” Hodgson said.

“Then a freak goal — and it is nothing but a freak goal — costs us the defeat and all of a sudden a performance which might’ve even received some sort of acceptance, possibly even praise, becomes a disaster. When you have been football a long time, you accept these things happen to you, but I think it would be wrong to read too much into that.”

For his part, a “broken” Steven Gerrard is in no position to make an immediate decision on international retirement, with the England captain requiring a couple of weeks to contemplate his future.

“There’s no truth that I’ll be making any announcement within a week,” Gerrard said. “I think I need more time.

“I spoke to the manager this morning and asked him for some time over the summer to consider me future. I certainly won’t be rushing into any decision.

“I don’t feel it is right to make a decision now or in a week’s time. I am still hurting very bad. I’m broken from what has gone on over the last couple of weeks.”