At one end of the training field, James Milner and Stewart Downing occupied the flanks.

At the other, however, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were out wide.

In the middle, Ashley Young was again deployed behind Andy Carroll but Danny Welbeck was also involved and looked sharp, despite his recent injury problems.

'It will be a different goalkeeper and a different back four to Norway, and Parker and Gerrard will start in central midfield,' said Hodgson.

'But I've not made up my mind who will play in the wide areas of the front areas.'

Also out there in training, of course, was Wayne Rooney and Hodgson said his finest forward could yet become his vice-captain.

'Rooney would come into the reckoning but he's obviously suspended for the first two games,' said the manager.

'For now we're having to take it on a game-by-game basis. Wayne would be considered but I haven't made a decision yet.'

Hodgson thought 'audition' too strong a word for Saturday evening's friendly.

Just as he was keen to stress that the side he selects against Belgium is not necessarily the one he has in mind for France.

'I'm not concerned that I need to play the team that plays France tomorrow,' he said.

'But when I select that team, I want to have covered all the bases. Tomorrow is preparatory.'

He does expect a determined performance, though, stressing as much in the speech that marked the end of his press conference with the written media.

It will be a special moment for Hodgson.

He has never managed at Wembley; he never played there either.

'Unless you're kind enough to count representing a UEFA XI against an FA XI the day after the '96 Cup final,' he said.

This, he would agree, is a fair bit bigger than that.

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