England qualified for the 2014 World Cup but went out in the group stages, picking up only one point from their three games – against already qualified Costa Rica.
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‘But what they will do is they will have a few younger players like Alli, Theo Walcott, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling who will gain experience from the European Championship looking forward to the World Cup in 2018.
Hodgson’s side meet Wales five days later, and end the group against Slovakia in St Etienne on Monday June 20.
“I’m sure that it’s full of English and Welsh fans and I’m sure that we’ll take the game as they should, they’ll behave well, they’ll support their teams, and hopefully we’ll leave everyone in Lens with a good memory of both teams”.
“He won’t score in every game between now and when I select a team for the Euros – but what he can do is continue to be Jamie Vardy, playing in the way Jamie Vardy does, and that is always going to make him a very strong contender”.
England have avoided the unseeded Italians and unsafe third seeds Sweden and the Czech Republic, so the route map to a successful tournament has now been laid out for a nation that has become accustomed to heartache and failure since reaching the semi-finals of Euro 96.
On England’s prospects, he added: “For the first time in a long time we’re going into a tournament, without being disrespectful to any players, with no any real superstars”.
“It was more to do with the hype surrounding the game”.
The World Cup holders will be fancied to finish top of a group also containing Ukraine and outsiders Northern Ireland, but coach Joachim Loew is not taking anything for granted.
“Russia and Slovakia will be interesting”.
“We know all the Wales players – nearly all of them play in England”.
It was Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland who were handed the most hard task, even given the extent to which a 24-team tournament eases the path. They will play Sweden, Italy and the world No1 ranked side, Belgium.
“England are one of the best teams, and we looked at it and would have wanted to avoid it, but we look forward to it”. And I think everyone feels positive about Gary Neville and also positive about the fact that this is a real test of an individual. “But that is why we are here, we deserve to be here and I think the tournament will be a fantastic one”.
“If you look he has had to re-build a team”. Italy should be in Pot 1, they have not dropped down the rankings that much.
“Well, we’ve got them”, he said. But Wales winger Gareth Bale perhaps has the edge on them after scoring seven goals in qualifying.
“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”.
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“But I think it is achievable to get out of the group – we won our qualifying group to get here so that should give us a lot of self-belief”.
