Roy to stick with ageing stars

ROY HODGSON insists there will be no mass clear out of the England squad after their Euros campaign was brought to an agonising end by Italy.

Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole and John Terry were all key players for England in Poland and Ukraine, but they are all over 30 and with qualifying for the 2014 World on the horizon questions have been asked of their future.

At the time of his appointment as manager last month, Hodgson claimed to have an eye on the future. However, he now seems to have changed his tune, saying: “I’m the last person to be talking about people’s ages. I can’t go down the youth is good route. I think it is important you have experienced players. I have been delighted with all those players, in particular Steven and John who have been through these heartbreaks before.”

>> ASSISTANT coach Andreas Koepke claims Germany couldn’t care less about their woeful record against Italy at major tournaments, which reads a frightening zero wins from seven games.

The Azzurri booked a semi-final date against Joachim Loew and Co after edging past England on penalties in the last eight, and if past history is anything to go by the Germans may as well not bother turning up.

However, having been a cut above the rest of the teams throughout the tournament, Koepke is adamant his players remain undaunted by whatever has gone before them.

“Statistics like the one that we have never beaten the Italians in a tournament do not count for us,” he said. “We want to rewrite history, a different history.”