Hodgson simply wanted a manageable number of players for the meeting at which he will explain England’s preparations for the tournament and also provide match analysis and a debrief from the November friendlies against Spain and France.
Hodgson wanted to hold a similar get-together this time last year but the clubs refused to release their players. This time, after the plan was formally put to them by FA chief executive Martin Glenn and Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, they agreed. Clubs are not compelled to release players outside the established international dates.
The clubs are also set to agree to the early release of players for the tournament, and the early sharing of medical records, with the players themselves having suggested handing over their passports as a gesture to show they will not go on holiday before Euro 2016.
England last played in November against France and do not have another fixture until the friendlies against Holland and Germany in late March with Hodgson anxious to bridge that gap with the get-together in what is a relatively quiet week for the players with only two FA Cup replays scheduled in mid-week.
The FA are set to announce three more warm-up matches, all in England, before the squad heads to France – including a game in the north-east, at either Sunderland or Newcastle, against Australia on May 27, one against Portugal, probably in Manchester and a farewell game at Wembley.
“It’s very good that I will get to see the players between the matches we played in November and the matches we’ll play in March as it’s an awful long time not to see the players,” Hodgson said.
“It will be a great opportunity to speak to them with a lot of video back up about the principles that we’ve actually been working on over the last two years… what are the values that we regard as important and also to discuss our generals plans around the Euros.
“We’re aware of the long interval between the November and March fixtures so this meeting gives us a great opportunity to speak with the players, give a thorough debrief from the last two games and share our thoughts on planning for the Euros.”
- Telegraph