FA chief urges England not to waste chance against Italy
Last Updated: June 20, 2012 7:14pm
Sky Bet
The Football Association's director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking believes England are capable of beating any team after they advanced to knockout stages of Euro 2012.
The Three Lions
remain unbeaten under manager Roy Hodgsonafter topping Group D to progress to the quarter-finals, where they will face Italy on Sunday.
remain unbeaten under manager Roy Hodgsonafter topping Group D to progress to the quarter-finals, where they will face Italy on Sunday.
Brooking is anticipating a tough encounter against the Azzurri but is buoyant over England's chances in Poland and Ukraine.
He told Sky Sports: "You might have thought at the start, 'are we going to be strong enough? Can we score the goals? Wayne (Rooney) is going to miss the games' and things like that.
"But now we're in a one-off every time and I think we're capable of beating anybody on our day. I'm sure every country left in will say the same thing.
"We've got to appreciate we have come quite a way in three weeks but we don't want to waste it now."
Unpredictable
Brooking believes it is impossible to forecast the outcome after an unpredictable start to the tournament, with the Three Lions avoiding a quarter-final clash with defending champions Spain after winning their group, while pre-tournament favourites Holland already out.
"It's such an unpredictable tournament," he added. "Previously everyone was saying we'd end up with Spain because we'd be second in the group.
"Then France lose, Russia got off to that great start, everybody talking about Holland, who go home without a point. You cannot anticipate, you've just got to focus."
England are scheduled to face Italy in a friendly in August and Brooking hopes it will be the Azzurri who are seeking payback in that encounter.
He added: "It's quite weird that we've got a friendly in August and now we're playing them in the tournament a couple of months before. Let's hope they'll be looking for revenge in August."
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