Hodgson confirms Carroll & Gerrard will start for England against Norway
The former West Brom boss, who heads into his first match in charge
of the Three Lions on Saturday, also revealed Glen Johnson and Danny
Welbeck will be sidelined for the friendly
Gerrard has been selected as captain of the
national side and will lead the Three Lions out in the former West Brom
boss’ first game in charge of England.
His Anfield team-mate, Carroll, had an
excellent end to the 2011-12 season which propelled him into the 23-man
European Championship squad ahead of Daniel Sturridge and Peter Crouch.
"Carroll will start," Hodgson told reporters on Friday afternoon. "He
ended the season really well. The back-four takes care of itself.
Steven Gerrard will start."
Another former player of Hodgson’s during his short spell at
Liverpool is Glen Johnson, but the right-back is sidelined for the
friendly game in Scandinavia with a toe injury, as is Manchester United
striker Danny Welbeck.
"Glen Johnson's injury will keep him out tomorrow but by the time we get back to London next week we're hopeful he'll be OK.
"The medical experts tell me Danny Welbeck is going to be OK [for Euro 2012]."
The game will serve as the first of two matches leading up to the
Three Lions’ Euro 2012, with the second coming a week later at Wembley
against Belgium.
Hodgson said when asked about how England are shaping up ahead of the Uefa tournament: "I think quite good.
He continued: "Certainly I've been impressed with the enthusiasm and
the energy the players have brought to the training sessions.
"But again we are actually missing probably a third of the squad, and
of that third there are quite a few very important players that as yet I
haven't had the chance to work with or see in action.
"Certainly the ones I've worked with I can only heap praise on for
the way they've worked so far, and it's always good if your first
impression is a good one and my first impression of this group is a very
good one."
Hodgson added Gary Neville to his England coaching staff immediately
after the Premier League season had finished, and the former Inter Milan
boss described the Manchester United icon’s role in the backroom staff.
"His role, quite simply is to be part of my coaching staff," he added.
"To be an important member of my coaching staff and to be an
important person also in liaising with the players, because he's more of
their generation and only recently retired from international
football."
Source : Goal.com
