Monday 8 September 2014 08:38, UK
Roy Hodgson admits he would have preferred for England to play Switzerland at a later stage of their European Qualifying campaign.
Hodgson takes his side to Basel on Monday night for the first qualifier for the 2016 European Championship and a game which many feel will be the most difficult of their schedule.
Switzerland and England were the only Group E teams to reach the World Cup finals in Brazil in the summer and Hodgson admits playing the Swiss away from home first is not perfect.
“In an ideal world, we'd have chosen to play Switzerland, who are our major rival in this group at least on paper, later in the schedule,” Hodgson said.
“Then we’d have more time to work with the players as a group, which would give us benefits but you have to play the matches when they are due.”
England have been roundly criticised for their poor performance at the World Cup but Hodgson feels there should be some encouragement taken by the fact that the vast majority of his new-look squad are with Champions League clubs.
Hodgson is confident the squad will benefit enormously from playing in the premier European competition and that such experiences will prove vital at the tournament in France in 2016.
“I think there are lots of reasons to be cheerful if you are able to put the fact behind you that the World Cup was a major disappointment,” he said.
“The players have talent and quality and they have a desire to do well for their country and we also have 10 players who are not here, who would play.
“When you put that together you have a large group of players who, if they continue how they have started with their clubs, it bodes well for two years’ time.
“In two years’ time they will have played a lot more European football for their clubs and that will benefit us.”
With the European Championship being expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2016, England could still qualify from third place in their group, reducing some of the pressure on the opener in Basel.
Hodgson insists putting on a good performance is nearly as important as the result for a national side whose supporters are in need of some positive news after a poor summer in Brazil.
"I think it's foolish to start saying that the only good result will be this, that or the other. For me it's about performance as well. I want to see how the players perform," he said.
"This will be a big test for them, it is. I want to see how they come up to speed on that test.
"I want the result and if you ask me what would you prefer - to play badly and win or to play well and lose, I'd play badly and win, I'm not different to anyone else in that respect.
"We do have to lift our heads up a little bit and performances and how we play and what happens tomorrow is of vital importance to us."
