Roy Hodgson accused of disrespect after England cricketers v San Marino joke
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Updated 05/09/2015 at 12:31 GMT
San Marino boss Pierangelo Manzaroli has said his team "deserve respect like any country" in response to a joke from Roy Hodgson about England cricketers taking on the minnows.
England manager Roy Hodgson
Image credit: PA Sport
Hodgson had joked that there were “one or two places available” against San Marino after having watched England’s cricketers have a kickabout at The Oval during the Ashes last month.
But Manzaroli was less than impressed despite his team’s appalling record in the Euro 2016 qualifiers in which they have yet to score a goal, branding Hodgson's comments 'disrespectful'.
“I know very well Roy Hodgson, and he’s a very good person and well educated. But when we are front of this media, with this exposure, you have to be careful what you say," he said.
“We are much smaller than England, but we deserve respect like any country.
“I think it was a bit too much, too heavy, with what he said. It was very strong. Bad things, that he said.
“I haven’t spoken to him, but tomorrow we will have a joke about those things. I still respect him, even if he says those kind of things," he added.
“Tomorrow’s match will be very complicated. We have to make a very good game in defence, to be very well organised in every point of view.
"We have to try not to see the enormous gap that exists between England and San Marino.”
Manzaroli was also insistent that his team, who have conceded 31 goals in five meetings with England, would not allow Wayne Rooney to break the country's goalscoring record easily.
“That’s a problem for the journalists to worry about, not us. They have such a strong squad, we cannot just concentrate on one player.
“We have to think about the game, and all the other players. We know Rooney is a top player, but we mustn’t waste our concentration just on this.
“It’s an honour to be national manager, I’m proud.”
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