Dejan Lovren could face a tough assignment with Croatia after they were placed in Group D along with Spain, Czech Republic and Turkey. “But what we know most of all is the team is very organised, they have a strong spirit and a good spine”, he told the BBC. The group also features Russian Federation and Slovakia.
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“Whatever team we got from pot four it would have been tough, so we might as well play someone close to home”.
England will also attempt to avoid the club versus country medical issues that have sometimes dogged relationship, notably over Daniel Sturridge, when he was injured on England duty previous year, with greater access from clubs and the FA on medical records.
“For the first time in a long time we’re (England) going into a tournament, without being disrespectful to any players, without any real superstars”.
There’s no deep history between these two nations, just fantastic players and teams that should combine to make an enthralling match. “The atmosphere will be electric”.
World champion Germany has Ukraine and Poland, the co-hosts of Euro 2012, in its Group C. Tournament first-timer Northern Ireland completes that group. Their ride in Group A seems a little more straight-forward, pitting them against Romania, Albania and Switzerland.
“It couldn’t get tougher”. There is absolutely no argument that Italy were the best team in Pot 2, and the Republic of Ireland are desperately unlucky to have drawn them.
‘We will have high-quality games that we are trying to organise, which will be more than decent opposition. Wales have proved to be easier opposition of late, with England beating them four times in a row.
The Russia coach, Leonid Slutsky, said: “England will be favourites”.
“So I think the matches in our group will be very interesting”.
Before the draw the Football Association chairman, Greg Dyke, who made a throat-slitting gesture that ended up being prescient before a disappointing World Cup in Brazil, backed England to win the tournament.
Hodgson’s contract runs out at the end of the 2016 tournament but a decent run – for example to the quarter-finals – should be enough to persuade the FA to keep him on for the Russian Federation 2018 World Cup campaign.
“I believe we are capable of taking points from Ukraine and Poland before we face Germany”, said O’Neill.
“But I’d like to think we have one or two players who will give Wales manager Chris Coleman something to think about in a match which will excite the British public”.
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England and Wales will meet at Euro 2016 after yesterday’s draw in Paris for next year’s 24-team finals paired them together in Group B, while world champions Germany can look forward to meeting neighbours Poland. Finishing behind Spain and Slovakia in Group C, Ukraine’s progress to France 2016 was built on a mean defence and they conceded just five goals in all 12 of their group games and their play-off with Slovenia.
