ENGLAND COACH HODGSON RESIGNS AS ENGLAND LOSE TO ICELAND
The coach of England Roy Hodgson has resigned following his side’s 2-1 defeat by Iceland and Hodgson has confirmed his assistants Ray Lewington and Gary Neville would also be leaving their posts.
England are now out of the 2016 Euro tournament in France .The 68-year-old had been in charge for four years after replacing Italian Fabio Capello but has won just three of 11 games in major tournament finals.
“I’m sorry it will have to end this way but these things happen. I hope you will still be able to see an England team in a final of a major tournament soon,” said Hodgson.
He did not quit without being proud of his players. Defending his players’ performance against Iceland, when they managed just four shots on target to Iceland’s five, he said: “When I arrived I was told the players would not turn up, but I have not seen that.”
Hodgson, who won 33 of his 56 games in charge, would have been out of contract at the end of the tournament and was set to have talks over having it renewed.
FA chairman Greg Dyke had stated he would only stay on if England “do well” in France, indicating that meant at least reaching the quarter-finals.
England qualified for Euro 2016 with a 100% record in their group. They started the finals with a 1-1 draw against Russia before beating Wales 2-1 and drawing 0-0 with Slovakia in their final Group B game – results that left them in second place and in a tougher half of the draw.