World Cup: Roy Hodgson won’t quit despite Uruguay loss
Roy Hodgson insists he will not resign as England manager despite losing to both Italy and Uruguay in the World Cup opening stages.
The England boss says he has no plans to resign following their 2-1 defeat by Uruguay last night.
“I don’t have any intention to resign,” said Hodgson.
“I’m bitterly disappointed, of course, but I don’t feel I need to resign, no.”
“On the other hand, and if the FA think I’m not the right man to do the job, that will be their decision, and not mine.
“I’ve been really happy with the way the players have responded to the work we’ve tried to do,” he added.
Luis Suarez’s doubler condemned England to a second successive 2-1 reverse in Group D following last Saturday’s loss to Italy in their opening World Cup game.
The setback against Uruguay means England are facing up to a group stage exit at the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
To stay in with a chance of reaching the last 16, England are relying on Italy to beat Costa Rica on Friday, and then Uruguay on Tuesday.
England will also need to beat Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte and hope there is a big enough swing in goal difference to send Hodgson’s side into the knockout rounds.
Hodgson was upbeat about England’s chances in the build-up to the World Cup, and there were flashes of brilliance in their play against Italy on Saturday.
“Our chances (of progressing) are unbelievably slim,” he said.
“It will depend on Italy winning their next two matches by a good number of goals, and us beating Costa Rica by the requisite number of goals.
“To be in with a chance of continuing we really needed a result today, a draw or a victory, and we didn’t get it.”
Asked if he thought England were outplayed, Hodgson was blunt in his response: “No.”
The controversial Liverpool striker had knee surgery nearly five weeks ago, but he managed to beat Joe Hart twice and chased England’s back four all night.
Hodgson believes his team did a decent job keeping Suarez quiet for most of the evening, saying: “I thought we controlled Suarez well in general play.
“He did very well to get away to the back post for the first goal but we kept him very quiet for long periods of the game.
“We’re normally used to seeing him a lot more active in and around the box. The second one was an unfortunate flick from Steven Gerrard to put him free for the goalkeeper.
“He doesn’t miss from them. To make certain, you don’t allow him the flick to put him through on the goalkeeper.”
Suarez’s place in the World Cup was in doubt when he suffered a knee injury in a training camp, but Hodgson always expected him to line up in Sao Paulo.
“We always heard that he would probably be fit for some part of the World Cup, and was targeting at least the second game,” the former Liverpool manager said.
“What the Uruguayans wanted from him today, they got. He had two goal chances and he took them both.”
England flew back to their base in Rio de Janeiro immediately after the match. The party will fly to Belo Horizonte on Monday before their final game 24 hours later.
