The task ahead of the English in the build up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup is enormous, the England manager Roy Hodgson has sounded a note of warning to players that are going to be participating in the build-up and that will eventually make the list to the tournament. After a long season, players are expected to partake in minimal training to avoid fatigue, but with the 2014 FIFA World Cup just few days away, same cannot be said.
Before 2010 FIFA World Cup, Leighton Baines admitted he was worried about going to South Africa because he would find it hard to be away from home for such a long time. In anticipation of such excuses, Hodgson points out that “From May 19th the players are going to be away. They’ll be with another group of players, doing maybe only one training session a day, so there’ll be a lot of free time.” He also added that “You’re not going to be with your wife, you’re going to not see your kids. But this is something you sign up for. “Once you sign up for that, you shouldn’t then be saying: ‘Oh I’m missing my family; oh I’m bored. Or what can you do to help me?’ “It’s complete nonsense, it’s just one of those silly excuses that people use. “You really cannot have that attitude. You’ve got to put your hand up and say ‘I can’t handle it’.
He cited examples of Englishmen- particularly serving soldiers that they also have a lot of challenges and boredom, so English players should find a way to accept the task ahead rather than make excuses. “It’s like a soldier signing up for the army, then saying, ‘I’m a bit bored sitting around these barracks everyday with nothing to do”. “Those soldiers sat in their barracks must have plenty of boredom in their lives.”
The English team are expected to file out against Portugal on 19 May, then flying back to London for a game against Peru. Another eight days of training camp in in Miami that will include friendly matches against Honduras and Ecuador. The players will have eight weeks together away from families if they make it to the Final of the tournament.