STAR PLAYERS CAN GIVE MORE

The England manager Roy Hodgson has said that he feels that the star players Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard still have a lot to offer for the national team. He has said that they have the potential to enable England to win the first World Cup since 1966.

England are looking to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. They are currently second in the group having drawn the two matches against Ukraine and Poland, but there are expected to qualify without any problems come the end of the qualification campaign. Even though England have many star names like Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, and Frank Lampard, they have failed to deliver at major tournaments for the national team.

However, Roy Hodgson believes that he is confident that both Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney will be at their best at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. One of the major hindrances for Hodgson will be the age of the Liverpool midfielder. Gerrard will be 34 years of age by the time the World Cup kicks off, although Rooney will be at the peak of his powers at 29 years of age. Hodgson has said that there will be important due to the fact that he has a lot of experience, which will be beneficial to the younger players.

"Wayne [Rooney] is a great player, a player who decides games. Yet he would be the first to admit that he has unfinished business for England at a major championship - Steven Gerrard comes into that category, too. Gerrard will be very important, because of his playing ability, because of his tournament experience, which he can pass on to younger players, and because of his captaincy qualities," said Hodgson. England will be playing against the hosts Brazil in a friendly match at the turn of the year.