Hodgson stands by outburst

Posted Friday, September 05, 2014 by teamtalk.com

Roy Hodgson has mounted a fierce defence of his England squad and says he was right to lose his temper after Wednesday's victory over Norway.

Hodgson became irritated in his post-match press conference when it was put to him that England had only managed two shots on target during a 1-0 win at a half-full Wembley.

And the England manager, who now takes his side to Switzerland for Monday's opening European qualifier, was in no mood to back down when asked about his response at a later press briefing.

He said: "I am entitled to be unhappy when I get questions about only having two shots on target."

"There was a lot of euphoria before the World Cup. We were getting 75,000 people to see us play Peru, who, with respect, were nowhere near as difficult an opponent as Norway. And now we have 40,000."

"I can't put that right because I can't turn the clock back, but what I can do is analyse what I have seen and judge that through my eyes, and not judge it because someone is going to tell me: 'Well, you only had two shots at goal'."

Hodgson went on to describe that verdict in blunt - and unprintable - terms before backing his young players to emerge as established internationals in time.

He said: "Some of these players are top-class players in the making, but the players are in the making: you can't play five or six games for England and be a regular at Liverpool for six or seven months and then be David Beckham."

"You can't be Phil Jones with all the injuries he has had and nail down a place in the Manchester United first team and then become John Terry."

"You can't be Jack Wilshere, who has lost all that football through injury and then all of a sudden be Bryan Robson. Let's be fair on all of these things. That's all I am asking."

"Allow me to be excited about what they can do and allow me to stand up and say I think my team played well at a press conference when I think they have."