The veteran midfielder will remain England’s captain despite the team’s early exit at the European Championships.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Steven-Gerrard-c34196, who was one of the Three Lions’ best players this summer, is still going to be wearing the captain’s armband, as Roy Hodgson gave him his backing to continue.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 came into the prestigious tournament with a series of injuries and with a new coach, so it was unsurprising that even the staunchest fans gave them little chance of qualifying from their group.
However Hodgson opted for a defensive line-up and it paid great dividends, as the side were propelled to the top of Group D and set up a quarter-final date with the Italians.
The Azzuri also looked to banish the memories of a woeful World Cup campaign and gave their best in Kiev. England, however proved that they were up to the task at least in defence, while their attack was easily subdued.
Andrea Pirlo gave Gerrard and Scott Parker a midfield master class but even 120 minutes of football weren’t able to decide the winner, so on came the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
Gerrard converted his, but Ashley Young and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gianluigi-Buffon-c14833 and as a result, the English yet again exited a major competition at the quarter-final stage.
While the team weren’t up to the high standards required in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 midfielder was imperious, throwing in tackles and getting crucial assists to kick-start the nation. So it is no surprise that Hodgson
has opted to let him lead the players on a more permanent basis.
“I’ve had a brief chat with the manager. I’m available as long as I’m wanted at this level and the manager has told me he wants to me to continue and carry on. I’ve loved the responsibility and enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve
tried my best, I’ve given it my best shot.”
“Performance-wise I’m reasonably satisfied with the level I played at but it still doesn’t cover over the pain and the hurt that I’m feeling as I have done at previous tournaments. At the moment, I’m just in a zone of frustration
and disappointment that we came so close to ending that quarter-final hoodoo,” he said.
With a mediocre Euro campaign behind them, England now turn their attention to the World Cup qualifiers that will take place in September this year.
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