LONDON: A month after being criticised for being too conservative and blinkered following a dour goalless draw with Ukraine, England coach Roy Hodgson was being heaped with praise for guiding the side to the World Cup finals today.
England’s roller-coaster ride through a tough group which alternated wins and draws until victories in the last two matches, culminating with Tuesday’s 2-0 triumph over Poland, ensured his men finished a point ahead of Ukraine to take the automatic qualifying spot for next year’s finals in Brazil.
Hodgson, 66, described the achievement as the finest of his long career, while at the same time emphasising he was also proud of leading Switzerland to the World Cup in 1994 and the European championships two years later.
Ultimately, he was keeping his feet firmly on the ground and not getting carried away with the achievement.
“I was lucky enough to go to a World Cup with Switzerland, and I was very proud of that especially as Switzerland did not have the quality of players that we have here,” Hodgson told reporters.
“But to be an Englishman and to take your own country to the World Cup makes me especially proud.
“This team is growing in terms of accepting pressure and dealing with it and the real beauty for me is the blend between the established players and the younger players.
“I now have six months to prepare for the World Cup and am not thinking about what we will do there yet.
“But we have a chance, if you want to win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket, well, and now we have our ticket.”
England set to play Germany in friendly
Meanwhile, England hope to schedule a friendly against old rivals Germany next month as they begin preparations for the 2014 World Cup, the Football Association revealed on Wednesday.
Germany, who thrashed England 4-1 when the teams last met in the last 16 of the World Cup in 2010, have also qualified for next year’s tournament.
England will play another friendly at Wembley four days earlier, with Australia and Argentina reported to be candidates to provide the opposition in that game.
Asked about negotiations with potential opponents for the November games, Club England managing director Adrian Bevington said: “I expect to be in a position in the next 24 hours to confirm one of them. I don’t think it is any great secret that we are expecting to play Germany in the second of the two games next month. (AP)
