• Euro 2012

Hodgson hopes England can dream on

ESPN staff
June 19, 2012

Roy Hodgson remains cautious heading into the final group match against Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine, but hopes he can provide England a source of inspiration deep into the tournament.

Hodgson's men sit alongside France on four points in Group D, one point ahead of Ukraine as the teams prepare for their crucial clash in Donetsk. A draw would be enough to see England progress to the quarter-finals, but Hodgson refuses to look too far ahead at this stage.

"We would all be disappointed if tomorrow night didn't go our way and we had to take the plane home," he said. "There would be an enormous amount of dissatisfaction because we believe we have done enough to go on.

"But Holland and Russia thought they could do that so it is naive to believe that just because you think you are able to do and want to do it that it will be enough."

Hodgson expects hype to build should England make it beyond the group stage, and the former West Brom boss believes he can harness that energy and use it to the Three Lions' advantage.

"It's not just England who haven't always performed when the expectations were heightened," said Hodgson. "There's quite a few teams that have failed.

"It's a fact of life. We've come here with the England national team. We believe in ourselves and we want to do well.

"In some ways it's rather nice that people back home are hoping and even believing we can do well, and we're giving them something to dream about and cling onto."

Meanwhile, Theo Walcott, who scored the equaliser and set up the winner against Sweden last week, has reported no ill-effects from the tight hamstring he experienced in training on Sunday. Hodgson therefore has a full squad available for selection following a horror run of injuries prior to the tournament.

"The technical staff have done such a good job helping the players recover," he said. "We've been very anxious to make sure we use the training sessions, and in particular, the recovery sessions wisely.

"I get the feeling at the moment that the players are as fit and ready for this third game as they were for the first. I don't necessarily feel the need to change people because I'm worried about their legs or their ability to see the game through.

"The team that's been doing so well is ready to go. On the other hand, there are plenty of people who are out of the team, as you saw with Walcott when he came on the other night, who are very anxious to make a statement as well."

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