Wayne Rooney insists Roy Hodgson should remain England manager

Wayne Rooney faces the media in a press conference after an England training session at the Urca Military Base on June 21, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Manchester United frorward Wayne Rooney has backed manager Roy Hodgson to continue in charge, despite the team’s disappointing World Cup performance, report The Guardian.

After successive 2-1 defeats to Italy and Uruguay, England have been eliminated at the group stage for the first time since 1958, which means that they will only be playing for pride against Costa Rica on Tuesday. The squad will return home following that match.

England have never lost their opening two games at a World Cup before, but Rooney believes the team will recover from this setback under Hodgson, whose contract runs to the European Championships in 2016. Despite losing against Italy, England were more exciting going forward than they have been for years, and the 28-year-old is convinced this offers hope for the future.

Speaking at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, the Manchester United striker said: “Well, he [Hodgson] has put a great enthusiasm in the team, a great set of young players, exciting players in place.

“Make no doubt about it, Roy is the man to take us forward. We appreciate what he has done for us.

“He has, in my opinion, changed the way we have played over the last couple of years and I know the results have been disappointing in the last two games, but as a team we can feel we are getting better.

“I feel with the young lads in the squad, this will help them and hopefully in the future this will make us a better team.”

Rooney also singled out the promise of Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley, and Luke Shaw, as further signs of encouragement.