Sunday 1 June 2014

World Cup 2014: England fly out for Miami friendlies

England manager Roy Hodgson and the team prepare to fly to World Cup training in Miami
The team flew to Miami from London Luton Airport

England are flying from London Luton Airport to Fort Lauderdale in Florida as they continue their preparation for this summer's World Cup in Brazil.

England's World Cup journey

2 June: Deadline for final squad to be named
4 June: Friendly v Ecuador, Miami, USA
7 June: Friendly v Honduras, Miami, USA
World Cup Group D fixtures:
14 June: v Italy, Manaus
19 June: v Uruguay, Sao Paulo
24 June: v Costa Rica, Belo Horizonte
The squad land in the United States at about 20:00 local time, ahead of friendlies in Miami against Ecuador on Wednesday and Honduras on Saturday.
Manager Roy Hodgson will assess his players there before heading to Brazil.
"It's going to be a great adventure, we're all very excited about it," he said on the runway before take-off.
England face Italy in their World Cup opener in Manaus on Sunday, 14 June.
The tournament starts two days previously, with hosts Brazil taking on Croatia, while the final takes place at the refurbished Estadio do Maracana in Rio on Saturday, 13 July.
In their final home friendly before leaving for Miami, England recorded a convincing 3-0 win over Peru on Friday.
"We got the perfect send-off," added Hodgson. "The crowd was quite magnificent.
"I think we're profiting at the moment from a very positive mood, so we feel positive, we'll do what we can."
The 66-year-old acknowledged England "carry a lot of hopes and dreams with us".
He added: "We would never try to suggest that we don't want the responsibility but it's certainly more excitement than trepidation."
Speaking on the eve of their departure, Hodgson had admitted he was still unsure of his best forward options.
"In the back positions we have a pretty clear idea of what we want," he said.
"Once you get past Steven Gerrard in midfield, there are five positions to fill. I think there are plenty of options there."
Goalkeeper Joe Hart said the mood in the squad was upbeat as they prepare to face four-time winners Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in Group D.
"We all want to go out and represent our country as well as we can, and it's been like that for years," he said.
"We've had a good two weeks, we've worked hard, and the people coming back from injuries have gone well."

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