Goal.com

Jun 11, 2012 10:11:00 AM

The Three Lions coach has praised the work rate of his players during training in the build-up to their Euro 2012 opener and is not worried about a lack of preparation

England manager Roy Hodgson is counting on his "major stars" to reproduce their club form at international level ahead of their opening Euro 2012 match against France.

Many players in the Three Lions squad have won Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles during their careers, but the national side have failed to progress past the quarter-final of any major tournament since they hosted the European Championship in 1996.

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Hodgson reiterated his belief in the quality available to him and urged his players not to become "suicidal" if things do not immediately go as planned.

"I just hope they play like they're capable of playing," Hodgson told reporters. "We have a team full of players who are major stars in their own club sides, in one of the top leagues in Europe.

"I see them playing to the best of their ability at home and my only hope is that they can reproduce that form in this tournament.

"To the players, my message is going to be: 'I think you're ready, I think you're good enough, now have the confidence and the belief in yourself to go out there and show it - and don't get suicidal if things don't work out for you'.

"We have to make certain that if we are successful we don't let it go to our heads and that if we are unsuccessful we don't start digging graves for ourselves."

Hodgson was only appointed as head coach in May, but is unfazed by the lack of preparation time afforded to him and his players after the departure of Fabio Capello ahead of the tournament in February.

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"The days have been so intensive, there have been quite a few where there has been absolutely no down time at all," Hodgson explained.

"But I am happy with what we have achieved. I don't think the players could have worked harder for me or tried harder in the training sessions to become a team.

"You could say we haven't had as much time as we would have liked but on the other hand these lads are used to playing with each other on many occasions so I think we are as well prepared as we can be, and I am not actually convinced that if I had had more time we'd have been better prepared."

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