Roy Hodgson has taken a unique approach to managing expectation surrounding his England Euro 2012 hopefuls - he has chosen to embrace it.
Hodgson has not come out with the kind of grandiose 'we can win it statements' delivered by his predecessors, and even Wayne Rooney when he spoke to the media on Sunday.
Instead, the 64-year-old has opted to ride the growing wave of euphoria, believing it reinforces the spirit that has built up within his squad.
Captain fantastic: Gerrard looked relaxed as he headed out of the team hotel
'I don't mind the expectation getting greater,' he told BBC Sport. 'I am really pleased about it. We have been very buoyed by the news from home and the people we meet here.
'Everyone seems to be becoming an England fan again. That is so important for us.
'If you are a football player or coach, you want people to appreciate you and get behind you, you want people to give you the feeling if I do have a bad game it is not going to be a catastrophe.
'There is more of that feeling and the players are responding. Long may that continue.'
Meanwhile, just a few hours after their heroics against Ukraine, members of the England team have been spotted taking a well-deserved break from football near their hotel base in Krakow.
Steven Gerrard and Ashley Young were among the players seen leaving the hotel in the wake of the hard-fought victory over co-hosts Ukraine on Wednesday night.
The players will be making the most of this down time to relax before preparations begin for the quarter-final clash with Italy on Sunday evening.
And captain Gerrard has warned England that Italy will be no pushovers in the Euro 2012 last-eight clash in Kiev.
Sign of the times: Young stopped to give autographs and chat with fans waiting patiently outside the hotel
Roy Hodgson's side avoided a last-eight meeting with world and European champions Spain by finishing top of Group D.
But Gerrard expects the Azzurri - who showed their quality by holding Spain to a draw earlier in the tournament - to provide a stern test.
'It was fantastic to top the group and we need to enjoy it now but then dust ourselves down because it will be a very tough game against the Italians,' the Liverpool skipper said.
'They are a very tough team to beat. They are good defensively, have got a fantastic keeper in (Gianluigi) Buffon, and they've also got match winners in the ranks.
'They are similar to us and it will be a very close game. Let's not under-estimate them one little bit. But, if we get that bit of luck and play well, I'm confident we can do well.'
We still believe: England fans have renewed faith following England's success in the group stage
Gerrard's confidence comes from a belief that England are finally realising their potential in a major tournament.
He said: 'When the group came out of the hat at the draw, it was evident that it was a very difficult group.
'But in previous tournaments we've underperformed and not delivered for our country. That's why we've gone home early. In this one so far, it's been good.
'A lot of credit has got to be given to this team. I don't think it's a case of us over-performing. We're just performing to the level we're capable of.
'To do well against the teams you come up against here - 16 fantastic teams - you need to play well.'
We're there! Hodgson (above) and Gerrard (below) were rightly pleased after topping Group D
Gerrard knows how significant the contribution of Wayne Rooney, who netted the winner against Ukraine, could be during the next 11 days if England are to lift their first silverware since 1966.
Rooney returned after a two-game suspension and converted Gerrard's right-wing cross early in the second period.
'Rooney is a fantastic player,' Gerrard said. 'I know how good he is and how important he is to our country and he showed it against Ukraine.
'There was a lot of pressure on him. He hasn't been playing much lately, and had the suspension, so credit to him for the way he performed.
'With more game time, he can only get even better.'
Sourced:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/euro2012/article-2162161/Euro-2012-England-players-break-Ukraine-heroics.html
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