England captain Wayne Rooney cuts furious figure after Euro 2016 draw with Slovakia… but Roy Hodgson defends team selection

Wayne Rooney cut a furious figure on Monday night after England manager Roy Hodgson watched his team selection gamble backfire.

Rooney, the England captain, who started the game on the bench, stomped off the pitch after the final whistle as Hodgson’s side stumbled into the last 16 with a disappointing goalless draw against Slovakia.

The result came after Hodgson made six changes, including benching Rooney, from the team that started the euphoric victory against Wales last week.

To make a disappointing night even worse, Hodgson’s men also suffered the humiliation of finishing behind neighbours Wales in Group B.

But despite the result, Hodgson launched into a staunch defence of his team, while predicting his team will make England’s future Euro 2016 opponents pay.

‘We brought players on and thought we kept up our domination but I’m not so certain it would have made a vast difference had they started,’ said Hodgson.

‘If we had won the game people would say we didn’t miss them (the players who were left out) and when we don’t, they say the team selection is wrong. I am used to that one.

‘What would necessarily have changed if I hadn’t made the changes? You’re saying that, had Wayne started, he would have scored the goals the others missed from his left-half position?

‘Wayne and Dele Alli and Harry Kane came on and created chances.

‘The (talk about) six changes amuses me. We finished the game against Wales with Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge up front, and people said that was positive. And now it suddenly becomes six (changes) with those two starting.

‘It’s like that when you dominate three games like we have done but we only managed to win one. I’ve got to say there’s not much more we can do — we dominated the game from start to finish.

‘As far as I’m concerned, I can’t fault the effort and work we put in. It is embarrassing that it’s attack versus defence like that. I’m pretty sure sooner or later we are going to make someone pay. If we keep dominating we will punish a team.

‘We brought players on and thought we kept up our domination but I’m not certain it would have made a vast difference had they started.

‘The way we’re playing, I’m not frightened of facing anyone. When did England last come to a tournament and have three such dominant games in a row?’

Hodgson also defended Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere after he was substituted just 10 minutes into the second half.

Wilshere was one of Hodgson’s six changes, but his chances of starting in England’s next match l now look far from certain.

England manager Roy Hodgson launched into a staunch defence of his team after watching them struggle

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But Hodgson spoke up in his defence, saying: ‘From the questions I realise his performance hasn’t been rated too highly.

‘I’ve picked up on that one fairly early doors. I think he’s a very good footballer and will be a very important member of our troop and squad.

‘If we can stay beyond the next round, I think you’ll be speaking of him in a different light because that’s the player he is. But if you are asking me about tonight, he didn’t set the world or field alight.’

England goalkeeper Joe Hart could not hide his frustration. ‘We all wanted to finish top but we didn’t. We have dominated every corner of the pitch and every Slovakian player will be proud of that result,’ he said.

‘We are into the next round and nobody will want to play us. I haven’t had anything to do in the whole tournament, to be honest. We have been playing very well.

‘There are good chances being made and there was some heroic defending against us. It is frustrating but we are through. We are happy with our squad and all 23 are thoroughly deserving to play.’

Captain-for-the-night Gary Cahill added: ‘It was disappointing for us. In the three games we have had the majority of the possession and today we have dominated play from start to finish and we couldn’t unlock the door.

‘The rhythm was there — we had ball constantly — but just didn’t have the cutting edge to open them up. It needed something special in games like that and we nearly did but it just wasn’t to be.

‘We are disappointed. With the amount of possession we had we should have won the game.

‘There is no point harking on about the first game (a 1-1 draw against Russia). We have to move on, we are second in the group and have a huge game coming up. It gives us time to get back fresh.

‘We tried to bring fresh legs in tonight and we looked good. On another day we should win.’

Slovakia manager Jan Kozak defended Hodgson’s decision to make so many changes while also claiming England are superior to Wales — despite losing to Chris Coleman’s side.

‘It was a logical decision,’ he said, ‘because I suppose the alternatives at full back were very similar. It was very physically demanding against Wales and Russia.

‘The centre backs were the same, and I guessed Wayne Rooney and Dele Alli would stay on the bench.

‘Sturridge and Vardy scored against Wales, and (Adam) Lallana stayed in the line-up. It was a logical decision of the manager.

‘I think that, regarding football qualities, England are better than Wales.’