Last Updated: 02nd June 2012
ROY HODGSON has urged England to deliver today for Queen and country.
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The new Three Lions boss hopes his team — which includes starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — can serve up a massiveEuro 2012 boost in their final game against Belgium at Wembley.
The nation celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this weekend and Hodgson said: “Last week in Norway was a good first game but it won’t compare to this.
“Around 90,000 people at Wembley and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It’ll be a very big occasion for me personally.
“I want the players to go and show how enthusiastic they are about this tournament and how determined they are to work their socks off.
“I want their attitude to be: ‘No fair-minded person will be able to say we didn’t give our best, we didn’t work hard enough or want it badly enough’. If they can give a performance that shows me that, I’ll be happy.”
Hodgson admits England’s latest injury disaster is another blow.
Frank Lampard has joined Gareth Barry and reserve keeper John Ruddy in missing Euro 2012 but the Three Lions manager is confident Scott Parker will be fit.
The former Liverpool and West Brom boss said: “It is a blow but I’m more disappointed for the players.
“It is quite simply the old chestnut that as one door closes, another opens for someone else.
“It’s very tough for Gareth and Frank, who have played such a big part helping us qualify, that they will be watching it on TV while two others play.
“It’s very unfortunate but we’re not alone. The French have lost Bacary Sagna and now possibly Yann M’Vila.
“We are at the end of a long season, particularly in England where we don’t have the winter break.
“A player comes to you maybe carrying a slight injury. With Frank it was very unfortunate that he got the muscle injury.
“With Gareth he’d probably been playing through it and, unfortunately, it went against Norway.”
As for Spurs midfielder Parker, struggling with an Achilles problem, Hodgson said: “He’s not as match-fit as some of the other guys.
“I ask him every day how he is. He says he’s fine and is going to get fed up with me asking him.”
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