In Group A hosts France have been drawn with Romania, Albania and Switzerland. “It’ll be nice to get a bit of time on the pitch before the England game”, said Coleman.
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PLAYER TO WATCH: With goals likely to be plentiful in an attack-minded group, there is plenty of talent to catch the eye with Russian Federation striker Artem Dzyuba, Slovakia midfielder Marek Hamsik, and England’s Wayne Rooney.
A good draw – everything is down to us.
“We always knew there was a good chance from Pot 4 – we’d either get Wales, Ireland or Northern Ireland”, Hodgson said following the draw in Paris. “England are one of the best teams, but we look forward to it”. “Whatever we say or do, once the referee’s whistle goes it’ll come down to what those 22 players can do out on the pitch”.
“But I think it’s great that someone close to the team is having a critical new experience that will test him”.
“Russia and Slovakia will be interesting”.
The 2016 tournament in France represents the 50th anniversary of England’s one and only global tournament victory, their home World Cup in 1966.
Northern Ireland did well to qualify for this tournament, especially as group winners, but they will have a tough time getting out of this pool.
England begin against Russian Federation in Marseille on June 11 and face Wales on June 16.
The two least impressive third-placed teams will also go out, and it is an interesting question whether they will come from the stronger groups, C or E, or the weaker ones.
“Switzerland, even if we did very well against them at the World Cup, remain a very good nation and will be our most valiant opponents in the group”, Deschamps told beIN Sports. The nation really got behind us and we just took it on.
He said: “Look at Russian Federation and England, they are a lot stronger than Slovakia”.
“If we do well in the Euros, then he is our man for 2018 – and I believe we will do well in the Euros”, BBC Sport quotes Glenn as saying.
Chris Coleman said on the eve of the draw he would take any team other than England and the associated “circus” the fixture would bring.
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland both were handed nightmare draws as Northern Ireland will face world champions Germany, Poland and Ukraine while the Republic was drawn with Italy, Belgium and Sweden.
“Russia too is a team I have met in my coaching career, but they qualified well and are a threat”. We wouldn’t have had the chance to get back in the game.
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“Payback – my son texted me that immediately after the draw: payback”.
