England Ready To Banish The Scar Of FIFA 2014 Defeat

September 02, 2014

England manager Roy Hodgson says his new-look team can banish the "scar" of their failed World Cup campaign.

Wayne Rooney will lead the Three Lions as full-time captain for the first time when they face Norway in a friendly at Wembley on Wednesday.

It is England's first game since they were eliminated at the group stage in Brazil without winning any of their three matches.

"We'd very much like to get that feel-good factor back," said Hodgson.

Long-serving midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have announced their international retirements since England ended their World Cup with a goalless draw by Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on 24 June.

In addition, Hodgson has included four uncapped players in his squad for the Norway friendly and the Euro 2016 qualifier with Switzerland in Basel next Monday.

He has called up Arsenal defender Calum Chambers, Tottenham left-back Danny Rose and Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph, as well as Newcastle's Jack Colback, who misses the Norway friendly with an injury.

England are without a win in five matches since beating Peru 3-0 at Wembley on 30 May and took only one point from their three group games at the World Cup.

"It is going to scar us, of course, because bad experiences do scar you," added Hodgson when asked about lessons learned from England's World Cup experience.

"But there is nothing we can do about that now.

"I get the feeling the players cannot wait to kick off this campaign."

Rooney has scored 40 goals in 95 England appearances and has captained his country on two previous occasions.

The 28-year-old Manchester United striker wore the armband for the first time in the 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil in November 2009 as well as the World Cup qualifier against San Marino, which England won 5-0, in October 2012.

But Rooney admits it will be a "special moment" leading the team out for the first time since being named full-time captain in the wake of Gerrard's retirement.

"The Norway game is the start of a new chapter," he said.

"We have had a couple of retirements since the World Cup and young players coming into the squad. It's exciting times."
(BBC)