Could low expectations help England this summer?

England are preparing for their first game under new boss Roy Hodgson. The friendly against Norway marks the start of a new era in English football.

With the European Championship just over two weeks away Hodgson will have his work cut-out to get his ideas across to his players.

Expectations

England have gone into most international competitions in recent times with big expectations. They have even been favourites with some bookmakers for recent international competitions. However I believe that was because of over-enthusiastic fans hyping the team up.

The whole country gets carried away when England have any sort of success and tends to suffer a bout of depression if the team loses.

I suppose that sums up our football culture. Prior to the start of every international tournament there is this mass wave of optimism in the country that England is finally going to claim silverware.

However, there seems to be little expectation about the England team this time around. Hardly anybody is predicting that England will win the competition and there are no big claims of being the best team in the world.

As a Englishman it feels very unsettling for the country not to be optimistic about our chances of success at a major tournament. However, this could be England’s secret weapon at the Euro’s.

Surprise

England head into the European Championship with a new boss. A new boss means new ideas, so England could just surprise people. The team hasn’t been at their best in the past few months but still qualified for the tournament with relative ease.

Some teams will definitely underestimate the Three Lions and maybe Roy Hodgson’s side can take advantage of that complacency.

Spirit

I’ve heard various players and managers from other nations saying that having a new manager could help team spirit. Maybe they believe that England could produce a performance out of adversity. The team certainly haven’t had long to prepare under Hodgson.

Pressure

The lack of expectancy certainly means that the players will feel under less pressure to perform. Maybe that will give them a freedom in their play that has been missing. At times some England players have looked like rabbits in headlights.

They freeze on the big occasions and don’t produce their best form. With a lack of expectation maybe the team can perform to their maximum and surprise everybody.

Winners

I have to admit I don’t think England have a good enough team to win the European Championship. Most people in England know that and that’s why expectations are so low for Euro 2012.

The Three Lions don’t have enough world-class players to compete with the likes of Germany, Holland or Spain. Football is a funny old game though as a famous ex-footballer used to say and you just never know. England could surprise everybody with their performance but I very much doubt it.

Future

Roy Hodgson must use the European Championship as a stepping stone for the future. He’s came in too late to put his ideas across and bring in his own players, so he really hasn’t had much choice but to select players from the previous regime.

Most people in England have written-off England’s chances at the Euro’s and are focusing on building good foundations for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. I hope by then England will have a stronger team and a manager who is more settled into his role.

Could low expectations help England this summer?