World Cup

Roy Hodgson: 'Fans should stop living in the past'

By Barney Corkhill, EditorPublished: 15 December 2012 3:06 PM

England boss Roy Hodgson wants fans to forget about how long it has been since they won the World Cup and focus on winning it again.

England manager Roy Hodgson has urged fans to stop living in the past when it comes to the World Cup.

The Three Lions have won two and drawn two of their four World Cup qualifying matches so far ahead of the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Any World Cup hype involving England is inextricably linked with their sole success in the tournament in 1966, with many fans believing that they should have had greater success since.

However, Hodgson claims that they should focus more on the present day than the years without a major international trophy.

"One of my concerns for England has always been that we're not trying to win in the present, we're trying to win in the past and we can't do that," Hodgson told FATV.

"I know there's 1966 and that it's 50 years and that we've failed here and there and missed penalty shootouts, but unfortunately there's not very much I can do now to change anything that's historical.

"You can't turn back the clock and you can't win yesterday. You can only win today and while winning today, you can only have an eye on how we can win tomorrow."

England will resume their qualification campaign against San Marino and group leaders Montenegro in March.