Roy Hodgson keeps feet on the ground despite England’s impressive progress

Roy Hodgson is excited about England’s potential but is refusing to get carried away with back-to-back wins over Euro 2016 favourites France and Germany.

Impressive progress has been made since their embarrassing World Cup exit, going through qualification for this summer’s tournament with a 100% record and losing just one of 17 matches after returning from Brazil.

It is a fine run they will look to continue against Holland tonight — a friendly England approach buoyed by November’s win at home to France and Saturday’s remarkable 3-2 comeback win in the world champions’ backyard.

Hodgson’s men’s aptitude was as impressive as their attitude against Germany, leading to growing excitement and the odds of Euro 2016 glory to shorten — enthusiasm the England boss shares, even if talk of success makes him uncomfortable.

When asked if he believes the Three Lions can go on and win the tournament, he said: “It’s the impossible question, isn’t it?

“Whatever I say, I am going to make headlines. If I say ‘yeah, I think we can win it’, then ‘Hodgson says we can win the Euros’.

“If I say ‘I think that’s going to be a tough ask, I think with this young team it’s too much to ask’ then ‘Hodgson has got no confidence in the team’.”

Pushed on the matter in the wake of the Germany triumph, Hodgson retorted: “They haven’t yet done it in a tournament. We still don’t really know... quite how they’re going to perform in tournament conditions against these much more experienced teams.

“Germany have already got experience of winning tournament and reaching semi-finals, and France are the home nation, so the question still remains an impossible one to answer.

“I can only be boring and cliche-ridden in saying that I believe in the team. Absolutely.”

Hodgson may not want to talk up England’s chances but they are fourth favourites to win a tournament that tonight’s opponents will not even be at.

Holland endured an abysmal qualifying campaign but Hodgson is still expecting a tough night at Wembley, where Danny Rose and the uncapped Danny Drinkwater will be among those trying to impress in England’s last match before the squad is announced on May 12.

“It will be their last opportunity to do it in an England shirt in front of me, as manager of an England team,” Hodgson said. “But there’s a lot of games left between now and the end of the season, there’s a lot of monitoring that we need to continue to do, in particular in their performances in their club teams.”