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Hoddle: England lack cutting edge

ESPN staff
June 9, 2013
Glenn Hoddle has been touted as a possible successor to Stuart Pearce © Getty Images
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Glenn Hoddle has criticised England Under-21's showing at the European Championships in Israel and claimed an overhaul is needed to change England's fortunes on the international stage.

Defeats against Italy and Norway have seen Stuart Pearce's side eliminated from the tournament with few positives to take from their lacklustre performances.

After the 3-1 loss to Norway, Pearce found it hard to pin down what exactly had gone wrong for his side. But former England international midfielder and manager Hoddle, who has been touted as a possible successor to Pearce, says that there is a big problem facing English football unless things are addressed properly.

"England had their offensive head on for most of the game," Hoddle told Sky Sports. "We started in the right way and there were players with the ability to keep hold of the ball. But it was all about the last third.

"It doesn't matter what level you're playing at, that's where you make the difference and England just didn't have that cutting edge. Norway had less chances but they got the ball in the back of net.

"That's the disappointing side. The football was better in the first period and I liked what I was seeing. We just weren't clinical in finishing and we are struggling right now, there's no doubt about that.

"There's a much bigger picture to this on how we change it and that goes through the younger age groups and up to the Under-21s."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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