I won’t beg to keep my job: Hodgson

CHANTILLY — England manager Roy Hodgson (picture) believes that the achievements of his four-year tenure speak for themselves ahead of his side’s slippery Euro 2016 last-16 tie against underdogs Iceland.

Hodgson, 68, goes into the game under extreme pressure, with England having finished second behind Wales in Group B and failed to secure a place in the less daunting other half of the draw.

Defeat in Nice would almost certainly lead to Hodgson’s contract not being extended, but although he has made no secret of his desire to continue in the role, he said he would not be shouting it from the rooftops.

“I am prepared to carry on. It is different to wanting it. I’m prepared to carry on if the FA want me to,” Hodgson told reporters at England’s Chantilly training centre last week.

“If they don’t want me to, then my contract will have run out and that is how that will be. So I’m not begging for the job.

“I believe in what I’ve done in particular over the last couple of years. I believe in the team I am working with and believe the team is showing such potential that it will go on and do good things.

“If the FA want me to continue with me looking after them, I will be happy to do so.”

After a quarter-final exit to Italy at Euro 2012 and a crushing group-stage elimination at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Monday’s game is likely to be Hodgson’s last chance to deliver success.

But he said: “I am not even contemplating going out to Iceland. I haven’t contemplated losing a game yet.”

He added: “Now it’s very simple. If we don’t win now, we go home. So we had better start making sure we score our goalscoring chances.” AFP