The Three Lions head to France for Euro 2016 and before that will face a series of testing friendlies that will prepare them for what lies ahead this summer, with Germany in Berlin and the Netherlands at Wembley in March already in the diary.
And Hodgson hopes his team can extend their impressive record that has seen them lose just one game in 17 outings since the World Cup in Brazil – and that came against current European Champions Spain in November.
England v Netherlands
A Breast Cancer Care International
Wembley Stadium connected by EE
7.45pm Tuesday 29 November 2016
TheFA.com/tickets
Meanwhile he has used 33 players and is happy that his large pool of players have been able to maintain consistency throughout their perfect qualification campaign for France 2016.
“During the last year I’ve learned that the pool of players we’ve had to choose from is bigger than maybe I once thought,” Hodgson told TheFA.com.
“We’ve had to contend with a lot of injuries during the last year and a half, hence the 33 players. Had we not had so many injuries to deal with, perhaps the usage of players would have been smaller.
“Maybe now it has helped us find one or two more who are serious contenders for a place in the 23 for the Euros. That has been very useful.”
Dele Alli's Wembley wonder-strike
He continued: “It’s good to know the players can concentrate and focus on even the most difficult games to focus on – games like San Marino and Lithuania away where you are expected to win and anything other than a good win is unacceptable.
“Seeing the players approach those games with exactly the right focus and attitude, and as a results we have won all the games.
“They are the sorts of games that with the wrong attitude or any form of nonchalance those games can go wrong for you. So it’s good to know we have that in our locker as well.”
Roy Hodgson with assistants Gary Neville and Ray Lewington
While Hodgson has had to dip deep into his resources with some key players out for large parts of the campaign, such as Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck, he has been pleased with how the younger players have stepped up to the plate.
In their last game of the year – the 2-0 victory over France at Wembley in November – Hodgson’s starting team had six players aged 22 or under, including 19-year-old goalscorer Dele Alli.
And Hodgson admits that the form they have shown is putting places in his final 23-man squad for next summer at a premium.
“I’ve always believed that I could trust the young players. We’ve had good feedback from the trust we’ve put into players, despite their relative youth and experience,” said the manager.
Harry Kane's debut goal for England
“But the thing about experience is there is only one way to get it. You can never become an experienced player until you’ve played games, but you’ll never play games until the coach takes a chance on you.
“We’ve taken a chance on quite a lot of young players whose talent has been there for all to see and we’ve been rewarded with those changes they’ve taken.
“Towards the end of last season, and certainly the beginning of this season, I am seeing many more of the players we always believed might be important for us going forward playing a much bigger part in their club teams.
“Fewer and fewer players are now having to settle for substitute appearances, more of them are being given starts at their clubs and that can only be good for us.”
Roy Hodgson has helped Harry Kane develop at international level
He added: “I’ve seen the number of players available to me grow steadily and now, what used to be sometimes a bit of a headache trying to find the right players and the right numbers, if anything, we are going to be spoilt for choice and it’s going to be more of a problem who we leave out, rather than who we add. That’s how it should be.
“I think everyone understands that they need to be playing well ahead of the Euros.
“It’s no different if you’re trying to find a place in the England team or in your club team – you’ve always got competition for places and you know always when your standards drop and you’re not playing well, you’re not going to get selected.
“That’s a simple fact of football life and it’s every bit as relevant for the England team as it is for club teams.”
England take on the Netherlands at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday 29 November and you can be there. Buy tickets now.
