PAIN IN UKRAINE ... Roy Hodgson is up against with England

ENGLAND fly to the European Championships today with their weakest squad to ever contest a major tournament.

A squad decimated by injury and, in Wayne Rooney’s absence for the first two games, short on both goals and the creativity to supply them.

A squad including SIX Liverpool players who finished eighth in the Premier League and got their manager the sack.

And with another controversy — the non-selection of Rio Ferdinand — threatening to destabilise the camp and undermine Roy Hodgson.

Their chances of winning the competition? About 14-1. I doubt whether odds have ever been that long. But you understand why.

With the withdrawal of Gary Cahill, good news has been at a premium. Well, apart from the fact someone gave Joey Barton a long overdue whack.

As for the Ferdinand saga, the FA are hoping it will have blown itself out by the time Hodgson faces the media for the first time on Sunday in Donetsk.

Yet half a dozen players are due up before the press in Krakow tomorrow. And we know the burning topic of conversation.

So there are some uncomfortable times ahead — both on and off the pitch — with battle lines already drawn between the FA and media.

In Hodgson’s favour is that expectations are so low. The new England manager also has a whole raft of ready-made excuses.

The injuries, the little time he has had in preparing his players and the claim that the Euros are merely a stepping-stone to the real business of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and Euro 2016 in France.

If it all goes pear-shaped against France, Sweden and Ukraine, well, so what? Look at the bigger picture, they say. That’s what they want us to believe. Talk about storing up problems for the future.

Yet in terms of results under Hodgson few are complaining — apart from the style in which they were achieved. Played two, won two, goals conceded nil.

Well-organised, solid in defence, lots of energy and the new boss off to a fair start in the circumstances.

Then, again, what’s new? Most England managers start well.

Glenn Hoddle won his first three and nine out of the first ten. Kevin Keegan was unbeaten in eight while Sven Goran Eriksson’s side reeled off five straight victories.

Even Steve McClaren won his first three while Fabio Capello arrived in South Africa with a group record of nine wins in ten and more goals — 34 - than any of the other qualifiers.

And look what happened there.

And then there’s the well-organised, solid defence stuff.

Since Terry Butcher, Des Walker, Mark Wright and Stuart Pearce at Italia 90, through the era of Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Gary Neville and on to Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole, England have always had decent defenders.

And it continues with Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka and, until his injury, Cahill. So, again, what’s new? With England, though, it’s about performing at tournaments and here we famously fall down.

Especially in the Euros where our record shows just FOUR wins on foreign turf in the entire, 52-year history of the competition.

What chance of changing that in the opener against a France side unbeaten in 20 matches in just five days’ time? To play the French first is another blow since the Euros and World Cups are all about gaining momentum.

Tournament play is also about ball-retention and passing and against Norway and Belgium both were poor to average.

Scott Parker is clearly having to play well within himself but still came up with some tackles against Belgium that were almost as scary as David Beckham’s moustache.

Reproduce them at the Euros and he’ll be off. There is also a lack of penetration out wide where Theo Walcott is living up to the assessment of former Arsenal player Stewart Robson, who said: “Basically, Theo is an athlete in boots.”

James Milner, for all his defensive qualities, doesn’t hurt defences while Alex OxladeChamberlain, despite his courage in sticking at it when the ball is not running for him, didn’t quite grasp the nettle against Belgium.

Yet you would still prefer him to Stewart Downing, who failed to produce either a goal or an assist last season and yet still looks to be Hodgson’s first choice on the left.

That, plus the fact Martin Kelly, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll would not normally get anywhere near the squad sums up exactly what Hodgson has had to select from.

Compare this squad to those of 2006, 2002 and 1998.

In Germany, there were strikers of the class of Rooney and Michael Owen.

And midfield players such as Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick.

In 2002, there was Owen, Teddy Sheringham, Robby Fowler and an in-form Emile Heskey. And a midfield of Beckham, Cole, Hargreaves, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and a fit and buzzing Kieron Dyer.

Four years earlier, there was Owen, Sheringham, Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and Paul Merson. In midfield Beckham, Scholes, Paul Ince, David Batty, Darren Anderton, Rob Lee and Steve McManaman.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.Joe Hart, like Peter Shilton and David Seaman, is a huge figure who inspires real confidence in the men in front of him.

Danny Welbeck took his goal superbly against Belgium and has pace and quick feet. His winner was well set up by Ashley Young, who has now scored or assisted in 11 of England’s last 20 goals. Defoe was also lively and has the priceless knack of not needing much time to get into a game from the bench.

So what have we got? Well, it’s functional. As you would expect with players such as Parker and Milner in the side.

It’s never going to excite anyone and, at times last Saturday when the Belgians were pinging the ball about, it was a little reminiscent of Barcelona v Chelsea.

Except there’s no Didier Drogba, no in-form Lampard and no player with both the pace and control of Ramires.

So Hodgson will have to make the most of a bad job. But, as ever with England, it’s about raising their game against the better teams.

And, something England managers have been desperately short of, a little bit of luck.