da brdice： Roy Hodgson insists his England side will be practising penalties ahead of their Euro 2012 showdown with Italy on Sunday.
da supremo： The recently appointed England manager understands the importance of shootout training but has focused on the issue far more since his side topped Group D and qualified for the knockout rounds.
According to the Guardian, Hodgson acknowledges the fear factor associated with England’s penalty shootout record after their involvement in so many tournaments has been curtailed by the dreaded spot kicks.
“We have practised them already and use the time after training sessions regularly to practise some of those. We’ll obviously take it even more seriously now, working on that aspect of the game.
“Of course, you can practise penalty shootouts until the cows come home but it’s really all about composure, confidence and an ability to block everything out and forget the occasion. You hope the practice makes a big difference but it boils down to the strength of mind of the individual. That’s what determines whether you score or don’t score.”
As the teams designated penalty taker, it is thought captain Steven Gerrard will step up should England’s quarterfinal against the Italians go past extra time. Returning striker Wayne Rooney is also expected to brave the occasion along with James Milner, Ashley Young and Ashley Cole.
By Alex Churcher
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