Hodgson - No selection pressure

Roy Hodgson: Admits he would be 'bitterly disappointed' if England do not make the quarter-finals at Euro 2012

Roy Hodgson claims he, and he alone, will be taking the decision regarding which players make the cut for England's Euro 2012 squad.

Having been appointed as the Three Lions' new manager on Tuesday, Hodgson's first task is to ready his troops for a shot at European Championship glory.

There are limited places up for grabs and he will have to be ruthless as he whittles a long list of hopefuls down to an elite group of 23.

Hodgson has already revealed that he will delay making his selection until after the 2011/12 Premier League campaign comes to a close, allowing him to mull over his options.

He is confident in his ability to get the big calls right and insists he will not be pressured into picking anyone he does not feel is deserving of a place on the plane to Ukraine and Poland.

Assurances

"I'm not under pressure from anyone other than myself to pick the squad that I think can be the one to help us bring success at the tournament."
Roy Hodgson Quotes of the week

"I have to give the squad and the selection an awful lot of thought," he said.

"It's early in the day for me to give assurances in that matter.

"I would add that the players who have been very important for England getting to the tournament deserve a lot of consideration.

"I'm not under pressure from anyone other than myself to pick the squad that I think can be the one to help us bring success at the tournament.

"It's going to be unbelievably hard given I have to combine it with being head coach at West Brom for the next 10 days.

Long hours

"I'd be bitterly disappointed if we didn't get out of the group."
Roy Hodgson Quotes of the week

"But no one said the England job would be easy or that I'd look forward to some sunny, pleasant days ahead.

"I have 40 days and 40 nights in front of me and I am going to be working long hours."

Hodgson accepts that he must get his preparations right if he is to live up to expectations, with the latest occupant of the England hot-seat conceding that anything less than a quarter-final appearance at Euro 2012 would be considered a failure.

"The European Championships are tough, with 16 teams who are among the best in the world, not only Europe, and our group is one of the hardest," he said.

"But I'd be bitterly disappointed if we didn't get out of the group."