Euro 2016 Group B representatives (from left) Slovakia assistant coach Stefan Tarkovic, England coach Roy Hodgson, Russia coach Leonid Slutski and Wales coach Chris Coleman pose after the draw ceremony in Paris on Saturday. “We play them last so we do think we will have a good chance of getting out of the group”.
Advertisement
All the focus may be on Wales being drawn in the same group as England, but the opportunity to get one over on Russian Federation will also inspire Coleman to seek revenge for the controversial and agonising Euro 2004 play-off defeat.
Ford is keen that at least one friendly will be held at home before Wales travel to France. In Aaron Ramsey, Ashley Williams and Gareth Bale, they have three really top class players.
Dyke told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme: “We won’t decide on the future of the England manager until after the tournament”. I’ve had the mickey taken out of me as a footballer with people saying “you’ll never get there”.
In 1990 we had good fortune against Cameroon in the quarter-finals when they came close to going two goals up and making it 3-1. Hard games to look forward for the fans but it could not be tougher for us.
“Slovakia and Russian Federation are interesting”. You just have to prepare yourselves in the same way.
The 68-year-old insists his current squad, which won every match in qualification, is a very different beast to even the 2014 set-up.
“We are the favourites and we want to win the group”.
Before that, England will begin their campaign against Russian Federation in Marseille on June 11, on the same day as Wales play their first game at a major tournament since 1958 against Slovakia in Bordeaux.
Italy, Sweden and Belgium will hardly be happy either but they will take points off each other and Ireland must focus on their own job, otherwise they will be the victims in the Group of Death. They had Ray Houghton scoring against Italy in the 1-0 win at the1994 World Cup, and David O’Leary netting the winning penalty to beat Romania in 1990 and get them to the quarter-finals.
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller said he was looking forward to facing club team-mate and Poland captain Robert Lewandowski.
“Russia too is a team I have met in my coaching career, but they qualified well and are a threat”.
O’Neill said: “I thought I was going to enjoy the draw, I’m not sure I have done”.
Welsh manager, Chris Colman added; “Well, we’ve got them, it will be a great game. There is no reason why we shouldn’t”.
Northern Ireland were drawn in Group C with world champions Germany, plus Poland and Ukraine.
The first game against Russian Federation is also very important.
“It’s been a fantastic experience to be here and be a part of things”.
Advertisement
There’s some good sides but I think we’ve certainly got a good chance to get through to the last four and, if we do that, you can win.
