Hodgson's Euro squad put under microscope
Reuters - Wednesday 16 May 2012, 17:19
Roy Hodgson said he would need to
grow a thicker skin to cope with a very demanding British media
and the new England manager may want to do so in a hurry after
naming his first squad on Wednesday.
Hodgson's appointment at the start of the month raised
eyebrows in many quarters, particularly in the notoriously
vicious tabloid press who had championed Tottenham Hotspur's
Harry Redknapp as Fabio Capello's replacement.
The line was that the experienced Hodgson had a point to
prove after a less than impressive stint in charge of Liverpool
and England's new man was left in no doubt on Wednesday at just
how much scrutiny he will be under.
After selecting his 23-man squad for next month's European
Championships in Poland and Ukraine, Hodgson found himself
answering a barrage of questions as to why he had left out
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.
An exasperated Hodgson, who was succinct and thoughtful
throughout his news conference, could barely hide his
frustration.
"Are we ever going to get off Rio Ferdinand?" he asked.
"There are 23 men in the squad, we're preparing for the
future and we seem to be discussing one man until the cows come
home."
Warming to his task, Hodgson sought to put in his place one
reporter who had informed him that Ferdinand had played more
games this season than Chelsea's John Terry, who was named in
the squad despite being stripped of the captaincy in February
and faces a court trial after the tournament.
"I had to pick a squad of defenders that I wanted to take to
the Euros and for purely footballing reasons on this occasion I
decided not to select him," Hodgson repeated.
"There is no question of me being aware that he has been
playing games for United and I'm not prepared to go down the
route that he is not capable of playing one game after another."
Hodgson is in for a charmed life with Britain's tabloid
newspapers, if the headline that greeted him on his appointment
is anything to go by.
The Sun were admonished by the English FA for mocking
Hodgson's slight speech impediment, but worse could be in store
if England fare badly at Euro 2012.
Bobby Robson once woke up to "In the name of Allah, go"
after a draw against Saudi Arabia, Graham Taylor was branded a
"turnip" and Steve McClaren was dubbed the "Wally with the
brolly" after he used an umbrella to keep out the rain in his
final game in charge.