Roy, You've Got To Carry That Weight

‘We feel the weight of history.... We all feel that weight because, as a top nation, we haven’t won as many tournaments or done as well as we should have done.' Roy Hodgson - Euro2012.

England strike back

When the music's over turn out the lights. It wasn't the way that Jim Morrison may have intended it, but when the England band was prevented from appearing in a Ukraine stadium (they clearly are a culture of taste) it symbolically killed many a ghost. It is hoped that it put to bed the Adam Crozier designed, Sven and Capello extravagance that Team England incorporated and endured for a decade.

England were one up against Euro 2012 before kick off. The decision to surprise a waiting public with the inclusion of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was a major positive - a move which had the fingerprints of Hodgson's previous positive decision all over it - coach Gary Neville.

There was a certain sense of calm about England. It may be 46 years and counting since the last trophy, but it was the best part of a generation that has seen a team sing the national anthem to a man, a coach joining along and everybody looking like they had the same focus - some may call it a national identity... who'd have thunk it at an international tournament.

What is refreshing about Hodgson has been his willingness to appear genuine. Injury issues? The easy option would have been to bring back Rio Ferdinand and hide behind a wall of controversy before doing what the nation does best, ripping up the rule book  and starting again after every doomed adventure. Instead, Hodgson picked the next best centre half to fill the position and how Joleon Lescott repaid him.

The sweat on the shirt of the athletic Glenn Johnson after five hard minutes showed the weather to be unforgiving. There was no mention of the weather, instead a pragmatic approach that it was in the shade and the same for both sides. Hodgson has that English quality - to hell with siestas and Iniestas, England will do what they do and if it is not good enough we will take it on the chin.

The hope is that such focus will transform itself into something far more exciting. Once the excuses are out the way then comes the desire and confidence. It is hard to judge France. England may just have kept the best team in the tournament largely quiet for 90 minutes. They may not play a tougher game in the competition. England will grow and the abandonment in their play should help the adventure of Ashley Young and the impressive Danny Wellbeck.

When the true tests come along, the third best player in the world will arrive to join the party. The absence of Wayne Rooney is lost behind some of the poorer headlines and the jokes of the obvious and boring Jimmy Carr. Imagine a championship where Portugal were hampered by a suspended Ronaldo - it may just effect the odds of their ability to win games. England will surely benefit from a fully rested Rooney, a return from suspension did nothing to harm the great Zidane in both 1998 and 2006 World Cups.

There is nothing to fear for this England except fear itself. Roy Hodgson clearly holds none. Let's hope he can get those Three Lions to roar.