Goalkeeper Joe Hart is keen to forget England's failures at previous major tournaments and put his trust in the new young squad at the European Championship in France this month.
A fine qualifying campaign and warm-up victories over Turkey, Australia and Portugal have raised hopes that Roy Hodgson's charges might win a first major trophy since England's World Cup triumph 50 years ago. (England must ignore Euro expectations: Adam Lallana)
Hart has played in three big tournaments for England so far but has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals.
"I've gone into every tournament confident and felt like we've been ready. So for me to say it's different this time would be wrong," Hart told reporters on Thursday.
"But they've gone, they are the past, this is a new one, a new set of players -- the majority -- and we're fresh and ready and we're going to give it all we've got." (Marcus Rashford says England call still doesn't seem real)
RESOURCEFUL ENGLAND
Hart said England had no excuse if they failed to live up to expectations at Euro 2016 as they have been given all the necessary resources to excel in France.
"We've certainly got all the backing we need. Everything that needs to be put in place has been put in place. It's now down to us to perform on the pitch," the 29-year-old said.
"It's exciting, fresh, there are a lot of youngsters so they are going to be more comfortable than maybe other teams. There's a good bond right the way through."
England kick off their campaign in Group B against Russia on Saturday before facing Wales and Slovakia.
_____________________________________
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself and in no instance bypass the discriminations of reason? You have been given the principles that you ought to endorse, and you have endorsed them. What kind of teacher, then, are you still waiting for in order to refer your self-improvement to him? You are no longer a boy, but a full-grown man. If you are careless and lazy now and keep putting things off and always deferring the day after which you will attend to yourself, you will not notice that you are making no progress, but you will live and die as someone quite ordinary.
From now on, then, resolve to live as a grown-up who is making progress, and make whatever you think best a law that you never set aside. And whenever you encounter anything that is difficult or pleasurable, or highly or lowly regarded, remember that the contest is now: you are at the Olympic Games, you cannot wait any longer, and that your progress is wrecked or preserved by a single day and a single event. That is how Socrates fulfilled himself by attending to nothing except reason in everything he encountered. And you, although you are not yet a Socrates, should live as someone who at least wants to be a Socrates.”
― Epictetus
Post a Comment