Roy's got his timing right but this was not pretty! Hodgson shows England are capable after feisty Ukraine scrap

Roy's got his timing right but this was not pretty! Hodgson shows England are capable after feisty Ukraine scrap

Down on the touchline at the Olympic Stadium, Roy Hodgson nervously checked the enormous black and gold Hublot watch clamped to his left wrist.
This morning his Big Bang limited edition timepiece is ticking towards the fireworks at the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil on June 12.
The countdown is on for England, just two games — Montenegro (October 11) and Poland (October 15) — from their 13th World Cup.

Job done: England boss Roy Hodgson applauds the travelling supporters after England's goalless draw

Battle: Ukraine, with Roman Zozuly going past England's Gary Cahill (right), turned the game into a scrap

Scrap: Theo Walcott attempts to go past Ukraine's Vyacheslav Schevchuk (left) and Denys Dedechko

Qualification is the minimum requirement for an England manager and Hodgson is 180 minutes of football at Wembley from fulfilling the target.
This performance wasn’t pretty, but Ukraine played into England’s hands by turning this into a Barclays Premier League match.
It was full of crunching tackles, energy, and animosity on each side, just the way every English player likes it.
Even Hodgson was entering into the spirit, creeping towards the edge of the technical area with his fist clenched during the moments of mayhem and madness.
It got tense and tetchy down there at times and Hodgson, looking sharp and focused in his smart blue FA blazer, was powerless.

Tense: Walcott (left) and Jack Wilshere do battle with Ukraine's Taras Stepanenko

Feisty: Ukraine's Andruy Yarmolenko (left) attempts to hold back England's left-back Ashley Cole

On the pitch it was down to his team to carry out his instructions and leave Kiev with the point that will help secure qualification for the World Cup.
Hodgson’s long, rambling dressing room speeches have been consigned to history. Instead he prefers them to be short, sharp and to the point.
‘I trust in you, I believe in you, now go out and qualify for the World Cup,’ were pretty much the last words he said to his players when they left the dressing room at 7.30pm in the Olympic Stadium.
Nothing is left to chance in terms of preparation and planning, something Hodgson was keen to itemise ahead of the game.

Powerful: Rickie Lambert (left) aims a header past Ukraine's Yevhen Khacheridi

The only team meeting on matchday is to run through some set-pieces. As the players were strapped up by head physio Gary Lewin before their warm-up, Hodgson took a quiet five minutes to reflect on his team selection, to convince himself he had got it right by sticking with Rickie Lambert and bringing in James Milner on the left.
In those moments he usually speaks to the TV and radio crews in the tunnel, explaining his selections to a variety of familiar faces who commentate on the national team.
He has spoken of the stress that comes with the job, almost inviting the anxiety and tension that fills the air on an England match night. This was up there with the best of them, a night to judge Hodgson and the team’s progress under his leadership.

Ton-up: Frank Lampard (left) aims a headed effort on goal in the second half

He is a conservative manager, no question. His team selections scream caution, but England are undoubtedly a difficult team to beat, whatever the circumstances.
He got a free ticket to the European Championships, an easy start to his career as the country’s coach after replacing Fabio Capello at short notice.
It was still the Italian’s team and it was up to Hodgson to steer them through the group and into a tricky quarter-final against Italy.
They lost on penalties, inevitably, but the slate was wiped clean in time for the World Cup qualifiers. Now this is Hodgson’s team, settling on a 4-3-3 formation and leaving it up to the squad to win their place in it.

Watching eyes: Hodgson is conservative manager but has got England well-organised

He is relying on Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard — ‘God knows how many Champions League appearances they have between them’ (272 in fact) — to provide the experience in the team.
Gerrard has talked about the flights home from nights like this, the ecstasy or emptiness on the return trip after several days away.
He knows the feeling: the elation, for example, when the team returned from Germany in 2001 after that incredible 5-1 victory in Munich.
Then there is the desolation, the quiet carriage that takes the team home after a penalty shoot-out defeat against Portugal in 2006, or that crushing 4-1 loss to Germany at the 2010 World Cup.

No 1: Engalnd keeper Joe Hart gives thumbs up to fans at the end of the game

Another golden age for English football is a long way off and Hodgson knows the issue of the talent pool is an increasing problem. Credit to him, though, because he has a group of players who are prepared to sit tight in a well-disciplined and organised system.
They are not the type of team to blow Germany or Spain away with a high-tempo pass and pressing game, but the foundations are there.
England are unlikely to cause a Big Bang if they get to Brazil, but Hodgson is capable of causing a tournament tremor.

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