England boss hails great start to new era
HAPPY CLAPPER ... Roy Hodgson salutes England fans after win over Norway
Last Updated:
27th
May 2012
ROY HODGSON was thrilled after his Three Lions reign got off to a flier in Oslo last night.
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Ashley Young’s superb ninth-minute strike was enough to give England a big
lift ahead of next month’s Euro
2012.
Boss Hodgson said: “It was a marvellous start to my career as England manager because I know how hard it is to win in Norway. It is a long time since Norway have lost at home and it’s a great start for us.
“I’m not prepared to be critical of the team in any way. I’m also aware it’s a work in progress.
“After only three days with the team, we have come here and given a more than reasonable performance at a place where everyone has told me it is very difficult to get a result.”
Hodgson insisted he was pleased with the partnership between Young and Andy Carroll.
He said: “Young and Carroll proved they can do that job, they were both very good.
“Not only was Andy good when we had the ball and did all the things we were hoping he would, he was also important defensively.
“I wanted to give Jermain Defoe a game but I also wanted to win and if I’d taken Andy off I felt we were losing a major piece of the jigsaw.”
But Hodgson refused to be drawn on whether Young and Carroll will start for England in the Euro 2012 opener against France on June 11.
His side now face Belgium at Wembley on Saturday in their final dress rehearsal. Hodgson said: “I am not prepared to say what the partnership for France is going to be.
“We know it won’t be Rooney but Welbeck will be coming along and we have Jermain Defoe. So we are in a comfortable position. Even Theo Walcott could play there.”
Goalscorer Young said: “I think I did all right and I took my goal well. But it is all about preparing for the Euros now. I thought it worked well with Carroll.”
But Hodgson’s night was marred by an injury to Gareth Barry, while Scott Parker’s Achilles problem is still a concern.
Norway’s former Wimbledon boss Egil Olsen was unimpressed by England. He said: “You need creative players who can do spectacular extra things, like for the goal for example, but I didn’t see too much else. We had very good control.
“It was a match of few chances with two well-organised teams.
“Teams managed by Roy Hodgson are always well organised.
“With luck we might have got a draw. We had more possession and I did not expect that.”
Boss Hodgson said: “It was a marvellous start to my career as England manager because I know how hard it is to win in Norway. It is a long time since Norway have lost at home and it’s a great start for us.
“I’m not prepared to be critical of the team in any way. I’m also aware it’s a work in progress.
“After only three days with the team, we have come here and given a more than reasonable performance at a place where everyone has told me it is very difficult to get a result.”
Hodgson insisted he was pleased with the partnership between Young and Andy Carroll.
He said: “Young and Carroll proved they can do that job, they were both very good.
“Not only was Andy good when we had the ball and did all the things we were hoping he would, he was also important defensively.
“I wanted to give Jermain Defoe a game but I also wanted to win and if I’d taken Andy off I felt we were losing a major piece of the jigsaw.”
But Hodgson refused to be drawn on whether Young and Carroll will start for England in the Euro 2012 opener against France on June 11.
His side now face Belgium at Wembley on Saturday in their final dress rehearsal. Hodgson said: “I am not prepared to say what the partnership for France is going to be.
“We know it won’t be Rooney but Welbeck will be coming along and we have Jermain Defoe. So we are in a comfortable position. Even Theo Walcott could play there.”
Goalscorer Young said: “I think I did all right and I took my goal well. But it is all about preparing for the Euros now. I thought it worked well with Carroll.”
But Hodgson’s night was marred by an injury to Gareth Barry, while Scott Parker’s Achilles problem is still a concern.
Norway’s former Wimbledon boss Egil Olsen was unimpressed by England. He said: “You need creative players who can do spectacular extra things, like for the goal for example, but I didn’t see too much else. We had very good control.
“It was a match of few chances with two well-organised teams.
“Teams managed by Roy Hodgson are always well organised.
“With luck we might have got a draw. We had more possession and I did not expect that.”
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