Ukraine ‘horror stories’ deterred fans, says Hodgson
June 20th, 2012 - 3:34 pm ICT by IANSDonetsk, June 20 (IANS/RIA Novosti) England’s support at Euro 2012 has suffered because of “horror stories” in the media discouraging fans from travelling to Poland and Ukraine, coach Roy Hodgson has said.
Discussions of racism and hooliganism in the two host countries featured widely in the British media in the run-up to the tournament, while former England defender Sol Campbell warned that fans risked coming back “in a coffin”.
The brother of black England player Theo Walcott cited fears of racism as the reason Walcott’s family would not travel to Euro 2012.
Speaking after England beat Ukraine 1-0 here Tuesday, Hodgson labelled the debate “the biggest negativity in England” and said that it had diminished the team’s travelling support.
“As a result I think we’ve lost a lot of fans who didn’t come because of a lot of horror stories about how life would be in the Ukraine and Poland,” he said.
Hodgson added that he had nothing but positive impressions of Poland, where England are based, and Ukraine, where they played all their group stage games.
Ukraine finished third in Group D with three points from a 2-1 win over Sweden in their opening game.
Italy await England in their quarter-final match, to be played Sunday in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
bs/vt
- Time running out for England's Golden Generation: Hodgson - Jun 16, 2012
- British government to boycott Euro 2012 - Jun 08, 2012
- Euro 2012: Welbeck flick gives England 3-2 win over Sweden - Jun 16, 2012
- Welbeck on wonder goal: I knew it was coming - Jun 16, 2012
- Euro 2012: Hodgson praises 'clever' Welbeck winner - Jun 16, 2012
- Walcott surprised by his own Roanldo dip - Jun 16, 2012
- Euro 2012: England win over Ukraine - Jun 20, 2012
- Shevchenko hands Ukraine dream start at Euro 2012 - Jun 12, 2012
- Euro 2012: Welbeck flick gives England 3-2 win over Sweden (Lead) - Jun 16, 2012
- Topless protest at Euro 2012 trophy display - May 13, 2012
- Carroll hails 'great' England - Jun 16, 2012
- Euro 2012: Ukraine coach slams fans for jeering own team - Jun 16, 2012
- Euro 2012: Sweden coach blames bad luck for defeat to England - Jun 16, 2012
- England announce 23-man squad for Euro Championship - May 16, 2012
- We dared to play great football, says Ibrahimovic - Jun 20, 2012
Tags: bs, coffin, donetsk, england player, euro 2012, fears, final match, group stage, hooliganism, horror stories, host countries, impressions, kiev, negativity, racism, ria novosti, roy hodgson, sol campbell, theo walcott, ukrainian capital