Hodgson makes best of a bad job
0 Comments | Herald, The; Glasgow (UK), Jul 29, 2010 | by steve nailor
Roy Hodgson admits there was never much chance of the likes of Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole playing in tonight’s Europa League qualifer.
Hodgson takes his side to Macedonia for his first competitive match in charge with a makeshift team. Gerrard, Cole and fellow World Cup players Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson are among the notable absentees for the third qualifying round, first leg against FK Rabotnicki having recently returned to training.
Alberto Aquilani, Lucas, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and David Ngog were among a handful of recognised senior players to make the trip.
Hodgson said: “We were never close to that because they have only been training for four days. It would have been folly to try to play 90 minutes’ football in an important competition in difficult conditions with players who have only been training for four days.
“We have pressed one or two players into service who were back one or two days earlier than that but in an ideal world we would not have used any of the players that played in the World Cup. But, quite frankly, we are not in a strong enough position to do that.”
Hodgson, who guided Fulham to the final last season, has to rely on inexperienced players such as Diego Cavalieri, Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing.
The 62-year-old said: “It would have been nice if the game was played later and we were able to play what we feel is our strongest team but we can’t.”