Hodgson lays down law for England

Posted Sunday, May 20, 2012 by ESPN

New England manager Roy Hodgson has warned his players anyone who fails to accept the responsibilities of an international footballer at Euro 2012 this summer has a very limited future.

Hodgson has played no part in deciding England should be based in Krakow for the duration of the tournament, even though all their group matches are in Ukraine.

Had he been given more time, the 64-year-old may have come up with a different solution, having already scrapped the planned training camp in Spain, which was another idea initially put forward by Fabio Capello, then "tweaked" by Stuart Pearce.

However, past experience with Switzerland suggests Hodgson prefers the city centre location England now have compared to the remote base in Rustenburg during the last World Cup in South Africa, which many players felt was like a prison camp.

The by-product of that is England always being on view and if anyone steps out of line, it will almost certainly be spotted.

Given the scrapes England's rugby players got into during the last World Cup in New Zealand, there is an obvious fear of negative headlines.

The FA will hand out a working document "for guidance", said a senior Club England source, but Hodgson is willing to treat his squad like adults and believes they should behave appropriately.

"We aren't back at school," he said.

"These are people who have an incredible public profile and know every time they step outside their front door the eyes of the world are on them.

"There are mobile phones with cameras everywhere these days. You can't escape them.

"But the players are fully aware of their responsibilities.

"My message to them is a very simple one. Not only do I expect them to behave as adults, I am going to demand it.

"Every time they are in a public place they should be aware of the fact that if they do anything they shouldn't they are not only letting themselves down, they are letting us all down because the criticism will pile upon us all.

"It's a big responsibility but if there is anyone here who can't take that responsibility they aren't going to play a big part in my thinking in the future."

In planning for South Africa, Capello's default position was that England's players should retain total focus on football, hence his decision to base them in Rustenburg, two hours north of Johannesburg.

However, training on exactly the same site as they were living proved a disastrous mistake, triggering a growing disenchantment that boiled over in John Terry's infamous criticisms following a shambolic goalless draw with Algeria.

Hodgson has never believed isolating players was the ideal way of getting the best out of them, even if a certain boredom factor has to be accepted as part of the job.

"When you accept the invitation to go and play you do so on the basis that for four weeks it's football, football, football," he said.

"There is only a limited amount of training every day and a lot of free time.

"We don't want any repeat of the things that happened to the rugby team but I don't believe imprisoning people is the best way of getting the most out of them.

"Treating adults like adults is the best way of getting a working relationship.

"We have gone from one extreme to another by being in Krakow.

"That wasn't my decision but if you give me a situation where the players can go out, have a cup of coffee and see something else other than their room-mates, me and the coaching staff, give me that any day.

"I hope it will go well but if it doesn't then we will learn the lesson."