Hodgson - I dont know why I'm here; smint?

[Phoenix07]

Based on the way this season has gone for us, Hodgson will probably inspire England to a victory in the Euros and instantly be the 2nd most successful England manager of all time earning himself a knighthood

[Craig_H]

Whatever happened to his fake twitter blog? The LMA one; had a search for it but couldn't find it

Shaggy got bored and deleted it.

[Fernandinho]

My two cents on the whole following your national team thing...

As most of you know I am Aussie born and bred and I follow the national team with as much passion as I follow Liverpool, celebrating all the goals with pure joy. We don't have a lot of the baggage related to our national team in regards to our FA and all the other players having an awful record in regards to behaviour on and off the pitch. Which is definetely an advantage.

Most of the people at the top of our game are generally fighting for what they believe in and Frank Lowy the Chairman of the FA has spent his entire life and a lot of his own money dedicated to trying to get Australian Football off the ground.

I go to the efforts of tracking players playing all around the world and regularly talk with mates about young players who will hopefully be one day good enough to at least cut the grade in a decent league around the world to create a team of 11 players good enough to at least give the power houses of world football a decent game. It's a lot harder for us to have a good team so I think it creates a bond between the fans and team kind of the whole "fighting it out for everyone" mentality.

It may also be easier for us in regards to the fact that most of the players don't play in a league I closely follow (about 3 players in the PL now and few in the A-League), but I have no trouble supporting Tim Cahill and always wish him well whenever he plays and do hope he and others have good form even if at the detriment to the club (LFC).

In regards to hating players some of the year and loving them for other parts... That is part of the fun of international football. When something goes wrong you can have a laugh, call him a cunt and blame him for all your problems. Its an easy scapegoat and you can easily jump on the bandwagon when he scores and simply go back to hating him the nexy day

I think its worth making that decision because following football as a sport becomes so much better when you have this whole other dimension to it. The world cup becomes the most exciting time of many peoples lives every four years because they look forward to the period of time where its all about their national heroes and coming together with fans of other clubs to have some fun with a different bunch of players who you are able to enjoy in a different environment with a different feel to it.

I do feel a bit for guys who don't have an affinity with their national team because I think they would be able to enjoy the World Cup so much more if they had games they would look forward to as much as a cup final for liverpool 3+ times in a short period of time. Surrounded by the amazing sights of the Brazilian, German, Spanish national teams etc etc

[Chris]

I do feel a bit for guys who don't have an affinity with their national team because I think they would be able to enjoy the World Cup so much more if they had games they would look forward to as much as a cup final for liverpool 3+ times in a short period of time. Surrounded by the amazing sights of the Brazilian, German, Spanish national teams etc etc

I enjoy it much more because I dont support anyone. It's great to watch a tournament like that stress free after 9 months or whatever it is of hell following Liverpool.

I dont really get to enjoy the CL all that much because I'm always thinking "it's best so and so goes through so they can beat Man Utd" or "I hope they go out so we cant play them" etc and the final is going to be absolute hell unless Bayern go 3 up after 30mins. It makes a welcome change.

[Fernandinho]

I agree with that.

But at the end of the day, would you rather watch a team you love and enjoy the roller coaster, espcially with a team you dont often have the chance to support or a team who don't support and dont get to watch often.

That pure adrenilan and ecstasy of watching your team score/win can't ever be matched in my books, especially at the world cup of all places.

[Chris]

I defo get where you are coming from, I suppose it is a shame I'll never experience the World Cup or potentially winning it as a supporter but I still really love it.

[Exiled_red]

I enjoy it much more because I dont support anyone. It's great to watch a tournament like that stress free after 9 months or whatever it is of hell following Liverpool.

I dont really get to enjoy the CL all that much because I'm always thinking "it's best so and so goes through so they can beat Man Utd" or "I hope they go out so we cant play them" etc and the final is going to be absolute hell unless Bayern go 3 up after 30mins. It makes a welcome change.

[Roboklopp]

Hate & despise Ingerlund. Agree with Chris about international tournies- love em cos there's no stress at all & you can just celebrate a feast of footy & the diversity of humanity.

[Corndog]

My two cents on the whole following your national team thing...

As most of you know I am Aussie born and bred and I follow the national team with as much passion as I follow Liverpool, celebrating all the goals with pure joy. We don't have a lot of the baggage related to our national team in regards to our FA and all the other players having an awful record in regards to behaviour on and off the pitch. Which is definetely an advantage.

Most of the people at the top of our game are generally fighting for what they believe in and Frank Lowy the Chairman of the FA has spent his entire life and a lot of his own money dedicated to trying to get Australian Football off the ground.

I go to the efforts of tracking players playing all around the world and regularly talk with mates about young players who will hopefully be one day good enough to at least cut the grade in a decent league around the world to create a team of 11 players good enough to at least give the power houses of world football a decent game. It's a lot harder for us to have a good team so I think it creates a bond between the fans and team kind of the whole "fighting it out for everyone" mentality.

It may also be easier for us in regards to the fact that most of the players don't play in a league I closely follow (about 3 players in the PL now and few in the A-League), but I have no trouble supporting Tim Cahill and always wish him well whenever he plays and do hope he and others have good form even if at the detriment to the club (LFC).

In regards to hating players some of the year and loving them for other parts... That is part of the fun of international football. When something goes wrong you can have a laugh, call him a cunt and blame him for all your problems. Its an easy scapegoat and you can easily jump on the bandwagon when he scores and simply go back to hating him the nexy day

I think its worth making that decision because following football as a sport becomes so much better when you have this whole other dimension to it. The world cup becomes the most exciting time of many peoples lives every four years because they look forward to the period of time where its all about their national heroes and coming together with fans of other clubs to have some fun with a different bunch of players who you are able to enjoy in a different environment with a different feel to it.

I do feel a bit for guys who don't have an affinity with their national team because I think they would be able to enjoy the World Cup so much more if they had games they would look forward to as much as a cup final for liverpool 3+ times in a short period of time. Surrounded by the amazing sights of the Brazilian, German, Spanish national teams etc etc

Yer but Aussies are different, they are highly competitive and more sport-orientated on the whole than England, Australian players are not treated like demi-gods either back in their home country with comparison to other sporting stars and this probably helps them keep their egos in check unlike the english team. Personally i'm not the biggest fan of the FFA but i don't let that spoil me supporting Australia after N.I. I get what you're saying though other 'smaller' national sides like the Irish teams enjoy great support because their fans don't have huge expectations and see it as a chance to have some good craic.

[Chazza]

Neville set for England recall – as Euro coach

Hodgson thinks Everton veteran can be an ideal bridge between players and staff this summer

It was only yesterday that Phil Neville was jousting with Wayne Rooney on Twitter, warning his former Manchester United and England team-mate that completing his coaching badges was not as straightforward as he might imagine. For Neville, however, there is the possibility of a coaching education this summer that no course could replicate.

Neville, 35, and approaching the end of his seventh season at Everton, is the first choice of the Football Association and Roy Hodgson to join the England backroom staff for the European Championship next month. There have been a few names batted about at Wembley, including Alan Shearer, Jamie Carragher and even Phil's older brother Gary, but Neville Jnr is the one who is expected to be approached this week.

These are crucial days for Hodgson as he tries to piece together a staff, not to mention a squad, while completing his duties at West Bromwich Albion and trying to keep one eye on the preparations that lie ahead in the weeks to come. Phil Neville, he hopes, will give his backroom staff a youthful element and, as a former international who has played alongside many of the current older players, provide the crucial bridge from the staff to the team.

The FA head of elite development, Gareth Southgate, remains a name in the frame for the job because he would still be available in the long-term beyond the European Championship. Should it be Neville, it is anticipated that he would be with England for Euro 2012 only, and that once the World Cup 2014 qualification begins in the autumn Hodgson will appoint a permanent coach to his staff.

Neville won a very respectable 59 caps with England, from his debut as a 19-year-old in 1996 to his last appearance against Estonia under Steve McClaren in October 2007 as injuries took hold in the Euro 2008 qualification campaign. He was unlucky with the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals, missing out on the squad despite having played in the qualification campaigns for both, but featured at the 2000 and 2004 European Championships.

As far as his coaching badges go, Neville has completed his B licence and is understood to be studying for his A licence this summer. Hodgson will take on the vast majority of the coaching responsibilities with England, as is his way, while Neville, if he goes, will be there in a much more junior capacity.

Hodgson has appointed Ray Lewington as his temporary assistant, having cut Stuart Pearce from the senior team backroom staff despite the former England defender having been very the much the FA's golden boy in recent years. Mike Kelly is another long-term friend and confidant of Hodgson but at 69 it is felt that the former England goalkeeper coach may be a little too senior for another tournament.

As for the squad itself, it could hardly be said that it picks itself. There is a major decision to be made on whether Hodgson takes John Terry or Rio Ferdinand, with Terry's court case for alleged racial abuse of Ferdinand's brother Anton looming over both of them. The suggestion is that it could be Terry who is left behind, which would overshadow all other decisions at the squad announcement a week today.

Otherwise the indications are that Hodgson will favour experience. He is prepared to make sweeping changes after Euro 2012 but would prefer to do so having had the benefit of some time in the job first. That would suggest that the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Gareth Barry are all set to retain their places for this tournament.

The fitness of Theo Walcott remains a prime consideration for Hodgson. So too that of Darren Bent, the Aston Villa striker, who has not played since 25 February. His manager Alex McLeish has suggested that Bent could be fit in time to play this summer but that would represent a major risk, especially given Rooney's suspension for the first two games of the tournament.

In terms of his wide players, Hodgson has to perm around four from Walcott, James Milner, Ashley Young, Aaron Lennon, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and the uncapped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The likes of the Arsenal youngster can expect an opportunity under Hodgson, but this summer may be too soon unless injuries to others open the way for them.

Equally, with the captaincy, it is expected that Hodgson will name an individual for Euro 2012 and then review the situation once the 2014 World Cup qualification campaign begins against Moldova away in September.

One advantage Hodgson does have is that he knows Ben Foster better than most managers and is best-placed to persuade the Birmingham City goalkeeper, who has been on loan at West Bromwich this season, to end his international sabbatical and return to the squad this summer. Foster announced his decision to withdraw himself from selection one year ago and has not budged since but represents the best alternative to Joe Hart, should the No 1 choice get injured.

The FA announced yesterday that it would not be going ahead with its pre-tournament camp at the Marbella Paradise of Football that was put in place by Fabio Capello before his departure. That has been abandoned in favour of another five-star resort between Marbella and Malaga, where the England team will stay the week after next.

It is a small change but reveals that the Euro 2012 itinerary with which Hodgson left Wembley 10 days ago has been well-scrutinised, and that the new England manager is not afraid to make changes. He has already jettisoned Pearce but it remains to be seen just how much further he might go in changing the squad– and the set-up – he inherited from Capello.

Backroom team

Ray Lewington (coach)

Popular former Chelsea and Fulham midfielder, 55, who also worked as assistant to Hodgson at Craven Cottage for three years and leaves Martin Jol's team to take up the role.

Ray Clemence (goalkeeping coach)

Former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur keeper who won 61 caps. Involved with England side since 1996 as goalkeeping coach and has also worked on the youth develop-ment side.

Gary Lewin (head physiotherapist)

Spent 28 years at Arsenal, while working as physio with England since 1996. Left the Premier League club after being promoted to current national role in 2008.

Phil Neville

Veteran Everton and former Manchester United defender with 59 caps looks set to be appointed. Holds Uefa B licence and helped coach the Under-21 side in February in the absence of Stuart Pearce.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...h-7723282.html

[dww]

He's such a strange ****in man. I thought that when he came to us he'd steady the ship, bring a bit of good team spirit back to us etc. I liked Fulham under him but as I only ever really saw them on MOTD I never really got a feel for the type of football they played. I assumed then the style the played in the Europa was the necessary more cautious approach smaller teams have to adopt in Europe and was always rooting for them. I think Fulham were a lot of people's second PL team for a while.

But the higher profile really did expose his flaws. I still think that people on here are way too harsh on him. He was a catastrophic appointmentfor LFC and his methods will never win anything with any decent team in a good league but he has a method that could have some success at international level.

I think he is also helped at small teams by the fact that the opposition come at him. With players with the right mentality it means that when you do play/execute his plans players have more room on the ball. The trouble is that the mentality of letting the opposition have the ball/attack can only ever get your so far and when it doesn't work it is both catastrophically bad and utterly impossible to enjoy.

[Chazza]

Matt Dickinson @DickinsonTimes
Hodgson has stepped up Euros planning by having private talks with Gerrard. A clue to his choice of captain, perhaps

Matt Dickinson @DickinsonTimes

Has also spoken to Rooney and Hart but Terry still in the dark. Wonder if Hodgson will have the boldness to omit Terry and Ferdinand

[Lee]

Terry isn't going to make it is he.



Slitty-eyed racist cunt. Have that.

[dww]

Aye you have to think Terry + Ferdinand would be a mistake and Ferdinand has had by far the better season.

[Exiled_red]

I'd be quite surprised if neither Terry nor Ferdinand played because of their experience.

Recently capped England centre backs (from wikipedia)
Ferdinand 81 caps
Terry 72 caps
Lescott 14 caps
Richards 13 caps
Jagielka 10 caps
Cahill 8 caps
Jones 4 caps
Smalling 3 caps

Beyond Ferdinand and Terry there is no significantly experienced player, everyone else has had a bit part role and played the odd 90mins here or there. I'd be very surprised if at least one of Terry/Ferdinand didn't start