• Euro 2016

Hodgson: I'm the man to lead England in France

Roy Hodgson insists his desire to manage England has not diminished despite their early World Cup exit.

Having failed to make it through to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time since 1958, Hodgson has the unwanted record of being the first manager to lead England to defeat in their opening two matches of a World Cup.

The FA has decided to stick by the 66-year-old, who admits to being "devastated", and the man himself is determined to right the wrongs of this campaign at Euro 2016.

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Wayne Rooney scored his first World Cup goal against Uruguay © Getty Images

• Wayne Rooney believes England are too nice and need to develop a "nastiness" if they are to succeed at major tournaments.
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"My enthusiasm for football is not likely to wane and my enthusiasm for working with these players is not likely to wane either," Hodgson said.

Hodgson has seen enough in the two games for him to believe that brighter times are around the corner.

The England manager has been particularly pleased with the performances of the young players who were representing their country at a major tournament for the first time.

"I think that bodes well for the future," Hodgson said. "I believe England have a very strong basis for a team, it's very young.

"These players within the space of two years will play in the Premier League and they will get better and stronger as an England team.

"I have never doubted this team will become stronger and better, and we will just for the moment have to suck on this very bitter pill that our hopes and dreams have been floundered here because we were unable to win the games."

Hodgson could give the likes of Ross Barkley, Luke Shaw and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a run out in England's final match of the tournament against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.

Those players, along with Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart, are likely to form the basis of Hodgson's XI for Euro 2016.

And Hodgson is glad he has a young group of players to choose from going forward.

"I don't think we have a problem [regarding the age of the squad]," he said. "Wayne Rooney is 28 years of age, going on 29, and I don't regard 29 as being old.

"Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are the only 30-plus year olds we have."

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