Hodgson has happy headache

15 October 2012 16:47

England manager Roy Hodgson has welcomed the selection problems handed to him after Friday night's victory over San Marino as he prepares to pick a team to face Poland.

England's 5-0 win at Wembley came despite the absence of a number of Hodgson's more experienced players, and he now has some thinking to do ahead of their trip to Warsaw for Tuesday night's clash.

"We try to utilise the squad for the two games, and maybe keep some players back from the San Marino game," Hodgson said. "You do get more a selection headache, but all coaches will tell you selection headaches are what we're after."

Hodgson added: "We have a lot of players who didn't play against San Marino available tomorrow night so have quite a good option.

"Unfortunately we didn't recover Frank Lampard or Ryan Bertrand but other than that we have a full squad to choose from and quite a few players who didn't take part at all against San Marino."

Leighton Baines impressed starting ahead of Ashley Cole, while Danny Welbeck made the most of getting the nod over Jermain Defoe with two goals in the win.

"There are quite a few (selection decisions) and that's good to have," Hodgson added. "I'd prefer not to quantify them or put them in any order, but it's good that the players who came in against San Marino who people did not see as first choice played well.

Source: PA