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Ferdinand: Blame yourselves for exit, England

Former England internationals believe the Three Lions have only themselves to blame for their World Cup elimination

Rio Ferdinand believes "naive" England can have no complaints about their embarrassing early exit from the World Cup.

After slumping to 2-1 defeats in their first two matches in Brazil against Italy and Uruguay, Roy Hodgson's team were officially eliminated this morning when Costa Rica beat the Italians 1-0.

That surprise result left England bottom of Group D and out of the tournament with a match still to play.

It is the first time in 56 years England have failed to make it out of the World Cup group stage and Ferdinand, a former England captain, is adamant Hodgson's squad have only themselves to blame for failing to adopt a more ruthless attitude when the momentum was with them.

"You have to earn the right to stay in a tournament. Unfortunately for us, we have not done that," Ferdinand told the BBC.

"Maybe we were a bit naive in situations, in the Uruguay game when we got back into it at 1-1.

"We had a chance to get a point and dust ourselves down, to say 'right, we are ready for the last game when everything is going to be on it,' but we did not give ourselves the opportunity.

"It was there for us and we just could not see it through."

STUNNED

Former England winger Chris Waddle, who featured in the 1986 and 1990 World Cup squads, admitted he was stunned the national team were already out of the tournament before some teams had even played their second group matches.

"They said there would be three teams fighting to get out of the group but we didn't think England would be bottom," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"England are sitting in their hotel absolutely devastated but they have had two chances to get points on the board and they haven't taken them.

"If you have the best players in the world you can play any system you want, but we haven't got that so we have to be hard to beat."

Former England striker Stan Collymore pointed the finger of blame at captain Steven Gerrard, who has produced two lacklustre performances in Brazil.

Liverpool midfielder Gerrard made errors in the build-up to the two Luis Suarez goals for Uruguay and Collymore said on talkSPORT: "Steven Gerrard has been a wonderful servant to Liverpool football club and for England.

"But, for me now, I think he needs to look at himself and say perhaps he wants to extend his club career and retire from the England national scene."

Former England midfielder Paul Scholes believes the England defence has to shoulder much of the responsibility for the disappointing campaign.

Writing in his blog for www.paddypower.com, he said: "We have got two full-backs now in Leighton Baines and Glen Johnson who are great going forward - but we've got great forwards already.

"We need solid defenders and we're not blessed with great talent in this area.

"Not bringing Ashley Cole was probably a mistake - not so much for his attacking qualities - but more his defensive ones.

"I think Baines and the whole of the back four have been found out a bit."

Nottingham Forest boss Stuart Pearce, a former England player and Under-21 national team coach, believes more care and attention needs to be shown to the under-age sides if the national team are to flourish at major tournaments.

"What tends to happen every two years is we get emotionally very highly charged when we go out of a competition like today," he told talkSPORT.

"But the clues are in the two years in between. At all the youth levels we fail to send our best players to tournaments and we fail to give them experience at tournament football and we hope it will all come right on the big stage every two years."

While England's exit has provoked a predictable cry for changes, FA chairman Greg Dyke this morning confirmed Hodgson will remain as manager and former England striker Alan Shearer is convinced that is the right decision.

"I think he should be given the opportunity to take England to the Euros in two years. We have to see the likes of (Luke) Shaw, (Raheem) Sterling, Ross (Barkley), these guys," Shearer told the BBC.

"Everyone wanted to see the kids to be given a chance and he went and tried to win the game against Italy.

"He should be given the chance to finish what he started."

- AFP.


You have to earn the right to stay in a tournament. Unfortunately for us, we have not done that. 

- Former England defender Rio Ferdinand

 

FA: Hodgson to 
stay on till 2016

Roy Hodgson (above) will stay on as England manager until 2016 despite his side's chastening group-stage elimination from the World Cup, Football Association chairman Greg Dyke announced this morning.

"We are supportive of Roy Hodgson and would like him to stay as manager," Dyke said in comments reported by British media shortly before England's exit was confirmed by Costa Rica's 1-0 victory over Italy in Recife.

"We do not see any value in changing. We think Roy has done a good job and it is an approach over four years and we hope to do better in the European Championship."

With England having lost 2-1 to Uruguay in their Group D clash in Sao Paulo yesterday morning, Costa Rica's shock win over Italy condemned the 1966 champions to their earliest World Cup exit for 56 years.

Hodgson, who succeeded Fabio Capello in May 2012, is under contract with the FA until the 2016 European Championship in France.

Speaking before England's elimination had been confirmed, he said that he was not thinking about stepping down.

"I don't have any intention to resign," the 66-year-old said. "I'm bitterly disappointed, of course, but I don't feel I need to resign, no."

Despite England's early departure from Brazil, Hodgson has been praised for picking a youthful squad and attempting to inject attacking flair into his side's play.

England impressed in their opening loss to Italy in Manaus last Saturday, with 19-year-old Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling catching the eye, but they produced an error-strewn display against Uruguay.

"Everybody thought we played really well in the first game and narrowly lost," added Dyke.

"They were narrow defeats, but it is for the football people to decide what went wrong.

"In the second game, it could have gone either way. We were not humiliated or anything like that."

In the immediate aftermath of England's loss to Uruguay, British bookmakers were offering odds of 9/4 that Hodgson would lose his job.

Hodgson was eager to emphasise the positives after the game, saying that "this group of players will do some good things in time".

GREAT MANAGER

The former Liverpool manager also received backing from England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who said: "I'm proud to play for Roy Hodgson. He's a great manager. He's a very passionate man."

Hodgson has led a nomadic existence as a coach, beginning his career in Scandinavia and coaching clubs including Inter Milan, Blackburn Rovers, Udinese, Fulham, Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion.

Renowned for his emphasis on organisation and team shape, he has also coached the national teams of Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, leading the former to their first World Cup for 28 years in 1994.

England will close their World Cup campaign against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, when the Central American side will need a point to secure top spot in 
Group D. - AFP.


“I’m very low, yes. So are the players. We had high hopes, we thought we could make an impact. But unfortunately we haven’t won the games.” 

- Roy Hodgson

World Cup