Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to key eventsSkip to navigation

Roy Hodgson denies that senior England players questioned tactics – as it happened

This article is more than 7 years old

Roy Hodgson faced the music after resigning as England manager as the fallout from the defeat by Iceland continued

 Updated 
Tue 28 Jun 2016 13.01 EDTFirst published on Tue 28 Jun 2016 03.16 EDT
Roy Hodgson during a press conference in Chantilly, France, on Tuesday afternoon.
Roy Hodgson during a press conference in Chantilly, France, on Tuesday afternoon. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA
Roy Hodgson during a press conference in Chantilly, France, on Tuesday afternoon. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Live feed

Key events

Teddy Sheringham has made the case for Arsène Wenger to succeed Roy Hodgson in comments that are pointless because it will never happen. “England have strength, passion, desire, hunger, and bullishness. They are strong-minded and resilient. But England need structure. They need guile and finesse. If you look at the way that Arsenal play, they have a structure to the team.’’

Hello, Gregg here. I’m stepping in for the final few minutes so that Gerard can make his way out into the thoroughly depressing heavy rain and off home. It’s the same rain that the England players are trudging through at Luton airport right now, shoulders sagging, legs heavy and with fear in their eyes. They’ve had to arrive on a plane separate to Roy Hodgson of course. I wonder how the on-flight chatter went without him alongside them? Or perhaps they were all silent and cut off from the world by their giant headphones – yes, the ones that so irk Chris Waddle.

@GreggBakowski wouldn't Roy need to have tactics before the players started questioning them?

— David Flynn (@flynnbags00) June 28, 2016
Share
Updated at 

That’s about all from me – I’m handing over to my colleague Gregg Bakowski now who will take you through until we have the reports and reaction from Hodgson’s final press conference.

I’ll leave you with this – I couldn’t resist giving it one more outing.

Steve McClaren tempting fate on Sky Sports news pic.twitter.com/C3tOCMnYGr

— Derek (@Hoopsterdell) June 27, 2016

Cheerio!

Uefa’s interim secretary general, Theodore Theodoridis, has been lauding Iceland’s success story, suggesting it vindicates expanding the tournament to 24 teams.

It’s a model. We will be using it as a positive image for the expansion [to 24 teams]. It’s pleasant for football to have one or two Cinderella stories. If you always have the same eight teams qualifying it becomes a little boring.

You could see it coming - maybe not beating England, but you could see they would be competitive and would end up in a final tournament. If you look back over the last four years their under-21s and under-19s qualified more often than in the past.”

Sky Sports News sticking to their Sky Sources in the face of firm denials from Rooney and Hodgson – almost simultaneously – that senior players questioned the manager’s decisions.

I can’t be sure on the ins and outs of Hodgson’s contract, or his financial situation, but here’s a fairly staunch defence of the now former England manager from Dave Hampson. I don’t think it’s sarcastic, but it’s been a long day …

Can one of your writers please highlight that Roy Hodgson has responded with great honour. Yes, it would generate a million comments and probably some appalling abuse.

What percentage of us - and what percentage of football managers - would deliberately give up a multi-million pound handout for being sacked one day later, preferring instead to resign honourably?

You can say it’s a sensible thing to do (he would have been drawn and quartered if he hadn’t as well as the ritual press hanging out to dry), that he doesn’t need more cash etc. But in these crazy times, how many people act with good sense, or with honour rather than greed?. Full, undiluted credit to Roy Hodgson for this decision.

Share
Updated at 

And that is that.

  • Well, Roy Hodgson could not have been clearer that he had no interest in being at that press conference. Describing himself as ‘very fragile’, he largely reiterated what was said in his statement last night while accepting the criticism coming England’s way after defeat to Iceland.
  • Remarkably he started the press conference with ‘I don’t know what I’m doing here’ and went on the repeat that. He seemed to think that having resigned, it wasn’t his duty. Hmmmm.
  • He brushed off suggestions that senior players questioned his tactics – and Wayne Rooney issued a pretty timely statement – and the gist of what he had to say was that he didn’t see the Iceland result or performance coming, pointing to the group stage where their only problem was an inability to score.
  • And he said he only turned up at the press conference to avoid looking like he was hiding from the press.

Roy Hodgson: "One particularly bad game has caused a lot of damage to me personally and the team going forward."

— Dominic Fifield (@domfifield) June 28, 2016

Glenn meanwhile, was a bit more forthcoming.

  • He confirmed that Hodgson’s successor does not necessarily have to be English.
  • He thanked Hodgson for his tenure and was eager to lay the blame at England’s inability to perform at tournaments ‘for the last 50 years’ rather than focus on the Iceland match.
  • Attempting to demonstrate that progress has been made under Hodgson, he pointed to the different preparations England have had this time, the style of football, wins over Germany and France and the 10/10 qualification campaign.
  • And he called Iceland ‘doughty opponents’ which suggests that he hasn’t learned a thing.

Martin Glenn, one of the men charged with finding new #ENG manager, has now let us know twice he is "not a football expert."

— Daniel Taylor (@DTguardian) June 28, 2016
Share
Updated at 

Hodgson responds to one final question: “It’s results that count, it’s results that you get judged on. There’s been lots of criticisms during the tournament. As far as I’m concerned I’ve come here today to do the job I’ve just done. I have no complaints about the way I’ve been treated and I do understand that there will be criticism but it’s a fact of life. One particularly bad game has caused a lot of damage to me, the team and the team going forward.”

Glenn asked if England lack nerve at major tournaments: “If you’re objective, when it comes down to the games that matter we haven’t delivered. It’s a 50-year thing and to my mind there’s something around the psychological preparation.

Asked about fear factor, Glenn says: “We’re all party of the problem and part of the solution, I don’t think anywhere else in the world is the scrutiny so intense. We have to take the resilience that’s needed.”

Glenn asked if they’ll be seeking an Englishman: “best person for the job. I’m not here to talk about names – I’ve been consistent, we’re looking for the best person not necessarily the best Englishman.”

Here’s Wayne Rooney’s statement: “In response to recent media reports, I’d like to say that is completely untrue.

“On behalf of the players, we completely supported the England manager but we understand his reasons for stepping down. We had absolute faith in the build-up and throughout the tournament.”

Share
Updated at 

Ooooosh. Hodgson unleashing both barrels, or as much as Hodgson does anyway.

In short, he wasn’t happy at having to come to the press conference but felt coerced by the insinuations that he was dodging the press.

Hodgson sounding like a grumpy 90 year old uncle wheeled out for the birthday party of a relative he hates.

"I don't know what I'm doing here. Why have you bought me here? I want to go home now."

Share
Updated at 

Glenn asked how there has been progress since the World Cup and points to the qualifying record, the style of football and wins over Germany and France (which is a little bit questionable).

Glenn asked why he forced Hodgson to come and Hodgson interrupts …

“I was not forced to come, I did so because I’ve never shirked a press conference, I’ve asked questions for four years, and when I was told it could be construed that I was firghtened to come, I chose to come. I’m unhappy about it because it’s no longer my job.

“I can’t give anybody a magic answer to any question they might have. I’m here because this is my last day in the job and to wish my successors well.”

Hodgson continues: “I think this group of players as they mature will have more success than they’ve had at the tournament. I don’t think it’s got anything to do with money, or where they play.”

Again he refers to his statement, and again says he doesn’t know what he’s doing there. He’s clearly not happy about being roped into being there.

Glenn takes over and starts defending St George’s Park. Using a pretty ropey analogy with a Premier League academy. Points to the Toulon tournament and age-group success, which bodes well for Gareth Southgate …

Share
Updated at 

Hodgson is offered the chance to blame the players by a reporter and refuses.

“We feel very, very sad and we have great sympathy for the fans. Of course we’re sorry we couldn’t give them the results they were hoping for. Whenever you don’t meet expectation it’s a sad day.

“I honestly believe the players were desperately trying to win the games but last night we didn’t have the right performance.”

Glenn talking again. He’s very keen to deflect attention away from the Iceland game and focus on England being pap in tournaments in general. Keeps on talking about being brittle at business ends of tournaments and is now talking about the planned review into the tournament.

“There isn’t one single thing we can fix but we must punch our weight in tournaments as we haven’t been able to for the last 50 years.

Asked about senior players reportedly questioning his tactics: “They’ve hidden it well. Against Slovakia we dominated from start to finish but didn’t take our chances.”

Wayne Rooney has apparently put out a statement denying those claims which I’ll have for you shortly.

Asked if he has any regrets, “I don’t know. It’s too early. I don’t think that before last night’s game, I didn’t have too much cause for concern other than we weren’t taking our chances.”

Roy Hodgson faces the media. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Share
Updated at 

Hodgson to speak now. He’s taking questions. He looks utterly knackered.

“I don’t really know what I’m doing here, I’m no longer the England manager but I was told to come. I suppose someone has to come and take the slings and arrows … my emotions are the obvious ones. I’m very disappointed, I didn’t see the result coming.

“If you don’t turn up and play the football that you know you’re capable of, an opponent like Iceland can beat you. I’m still recovering from that, it wasn’t a good night and I’m very fragile.

“We believed that we could get to the quarter-final and get beyond that.”

Moving on …

“We tried things differently. We felt that we’d really given the squad and the country the best chance of success but it’s clearly not enough, as the evidence suggests. We clearly need to do more.”

“The process for finding a new manager is underway. Dan Ashworth, myself and David Gill will be the triumvirate that looks after it. It’s really important that we get it right. Taking it forward with a view to the World Cup in Russia. We’re going to be canvassing opinion to get a lot of wisdom. We don’t need to throw the baby out with the bathwater but we’re not denying that when we get to the business end of a tournament England seem brittle.

“In terms of the FA’s commitment, we’ll get a new management team and in the future at every tournament, every game, every half we will punch our weight.”

Glenn is now thanking Hodgson. Acknowledges that Iceland is not exactly his career point but points out the way he resigned … the mark of the man etc

Hodgson arrives to speak to the press

Martin Glenn begins with a message to the fans: “It’s a sorry. When it comes to the games that really matter, we’ve come up short. It’s been a problem for many years, having been a fan before I started this job, I get it. We’re very disappointed. Iceland were a doughty opponent but we didn’t punch our weight.”

Doughty? Not in the slightest bit patronising …

Not long to go now … Hodgson set to face the media one last time, along with Martin Glenn.

In the meantime, Wales players have defended their somewhat exuberant celebrations of Iceland’s victory.

Chris Gunter: “I think it may be easy to see it as being slightly over the top. But it certainly wasn’t meant to come across that way. If you asked the squad as a whole, from a selfish point of view, we are ever so proud to be the last home nation team in the tournament.

“We’ve come such a long way and football has a funny way of bringing out emotions, as you’ve seen when we played them a couple of weeks ago. No one has talked about Iceland, another team who were written off before a ball was kicked and now they’ve reached the quarter-finals. It’s fantastic for the tournament that Iceland are still in there.”

Neil Taylor: “From Albania to Hungary, they have been a breath of fresh air, and Iceland were written off as well. I obviously know Gylfi [Sigurdsson] and he has explained to me about Iceland and what they are all about.

“I saw that when they qualified, and in this tournament they have been unbelievable. That was half of the celebrations because of how well Iceland have done. I understand how it has come across, but as a group of players we’ve supported Iceland all along.”

Stat alert

That just isn’t very good, is it?

In the last two major tournaments, Joe Hart has made a total of nine saves and conceded eight goals.

— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) June 28, 2016

Unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely

"....It appears Roy Hodgson is now going to join Martin Glenn....".

I hope, for their sake, that, Blackadder-style, they'll both come armed with underpants to put on their heads, a pencil for each nostril and "wibble" as their answer for every single question.

Stuart continues the rugby union v football debate …

All the answers to England’s predicament can be found in the transformation of the England rugby team. They had their ‘Iceland’ in a World Cup on home soil. Their answer has been to find a coach who doesn’t give a toss what the press or public think about his selections, develops a system for each game, shows the players how to execute it, and trusts them to do it. If it starts to go wrong, he changes it ruthlessly.

Same players almost, different results.

England players get back on the bus after lunch

Jack Wilshere has a white bin-bag around his waste … Jamie Vardy finds something hilarious and Dan Ashworth is one of the last on the bus – presumably after giving Hodgson some what for as he left the hotel.

Press conference in just over half an hour …

It’s a theme that’s dominating the comments section, but how relevant is the England rugby union team’s turnaround in what the post-Hodgson era may look like? Jeff Docherty has this to say …

Last year the England Rugby Team were humiliated in their own Tournament, knocked out in the Group Stage. A shambles of selection, tactics, style and leadership.

Now look! Indefatigable, hard nosed, unbowed, cussed no little skill and supreme attitude beating all comers. Largely with the same team.

Let’s take a long hard look at getting the right management in.

Because redemption could be in reach sooner rather than later.

Roy Hodgson bingo

Eyes down (when the press conference starts) now that the outgoing manager has decided to speak to the press.

No passion.
Winter break.
Root and branch review.
Don't play like they do for their clubs.
Give the young players a chance.
Tactically out-thought.
Tired after a long season.
Frozen by fear.
The FA's fault.
Overpaid primadonnas.

There, that's all the bases covered. We can clock off early.

David Wall presents the case against Arsene Wenger …

I’m puzzled that many people seem to think that Wenger would be a good fit for the England job, with much of the reluctance to back him related to doubting that he’d do it, rather than doubting that he’d be able to. The problem last night was obvious. It wasn’t lack of technical ability, it wasn’t lack of tactical preparation (does anyone seriously think that Hodgson hadn’t been drilling them on defending long-throws all week), it was a collective panic and lack of nerve when confronted with a situation that they know they can manage with but are unexpectedly struggling with.

It was akin to a talented student sitting down to take a medium level exam paper, finding their mind has gone blank when they look at the first question, and then going into a blind panic when they’re not able to perform rudimentary tasks that normally they can do without thinking. Given that that is exactly the kind of thing that Arsenal fans have been witness to, at moments when that they should be able to cope if they were thinking clearly, I don’t see how Wenger is the man with the answer to that problem.

Mido has his say

Gareth Southgate seems to be polarising opinion somewhat. He’s the favourite with the bookies but Harry Redknapp believes he would be a ‘scary’ appointment and now Mido, yes Mido, has had his say.

I can't believe that in England they are talking about @GarethSouthgate to become the new Manager!! I hope he learned since the @Boro days!!

— Mido (@midoahm) June 28, 2016

That’s the same Mido who scored six goals in three years at the Riverside.

Share
Updated at 

Toby Alderweireld has expressed his sympathies for England’s brave boys, a fair few of whom he plays alongside at Spurs …

Who am I, of course, to judge them, but the Premier League must urgently think about a rest period in a European Championship or World Cup year. We are working day by day for a year. When the other leagues take a winter break, we just gear up. That creeps into your clothes and translates into the elimination of England.”

Well, if the England team is getting Diego Simeone because he’s supposedly leaving Atlético Madrid, the logical next move would be to nationalise Lionel Messi, who’s definitely abandoning the Argentina squad. Now that we’re free of EU regulations, we can do what we want, amirite?

Yes Charles, very right.

U-turn

It appears Roy Hodgson is now going to join Martin Glenn and speak at the press conference today – presumably to announce he’s joining the Chinese Super League.

A change of heart akin to his selection policy.

Share
Updated at 

Hodgson to be offered job in Chinese Super League?

Hot off the wires, here’s my favourite story of the day so far

And on that note, I’m off for a quick bite. I’ll leave you with a bit of essential reading from Daniel Taylor on Gareth Southgate, currently the clear favourite to replace Hodgson.

Share
Updated at 

The inevitable cross-sport discussions have begun. Eoin Morgan has been asked for his views on England’s plight, having played his part in the England cricket team’s World Cup debacle last year.

The learning experience we’ve had over the last 12 months, with the new group of players, has been so significant that there is almost a completely different team. I suppose for us, it was going with a new method and a new group of players.”

More on this story

More on this story

  • England’s future still has promise, but Wayne Rooney is part of the past

  • England 1-2 Iceland: the internet reacts to another humiliating exit from Europe

  • England humiliated as Iceland knock them out of Euro 2016

  • Roy Hodgson quits as England manager after humiliating defeat by Iceland

  • Iceland’s toppling of England at Euro 2016 is a triumph for the little guys

  • England 1-2 Iceland: five talking points from the Euro 2016 last-16 tie

  • Football Weekly
    England iced! – Euro 2016 Football Daily

Comments (…)

Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion

Most viewed

Most viewed