Football: Hodgson talks up World Cup prospects

LONDON: Roy Hodgson says England have enough quality players to give the world’s top sides a run for their money and claims it is not impossible for his team to win the 2014 World Cup.

“I hope that I will never be tripped into saying that we don’t have enough players or there’s not enough players good enough to play for England because that would be a very sad indictment,” said Hodgson.

“I know there are a lot of foreigners in the league, but there’s plenty of English ones. I hope I’m not going to be tricked into saying that some time to disguise my disappointment in a defeat or to try and shift the blame to somebody else.” England are placed second in World Cup qualifying Group H, two points behind Montenegro after four games. “We are aiming to finish on top.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2012.