England's Euro 2012 Chances: 5 Reasons They Can Still Win It

Yesterday, Roy Hodgson will have felt the true pressures that accompany the England manager, as he revealed his hand and named his 23-man squad for Euro 2012.

Facing the media moments after the announcement, few could argue his demeanour was not polite, persuasive and pleasantly articulate—but some of his personnel choices have come under severe scrutiny in the aftermath.

It was almost tragically predictable that '#HodgsonOut' would begin trending on Twitter at the same time as the names went viral, but it showed exactly how some people felt.

If the exclusions of Micah Richards and Rio Ferdinand, or the inclusion of Stewart Downing, were not the cause, then it was some of the curious reasoning Hodgson gave that may have tipped the balance.

He claimed his main reason for not picking Rio Ferdinand, controversially axed from the squad, was due to his prolonged absence from the international stage. He inherited a squad and felt a loyalty to those in it.

This is fair enough, yet a few sentences before saying this, Hodgson announced Steven Gerrard as his captain, a player who has appeared in his national shirt for 33 minutes in the past 18 months. Less than Ferdinand.

Elsewhere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may yet prove an inspired addition to the playing party despite only starting six Premier League games.

When asked about this pick, Hodgson revealed it was watching him play for Arsenal against Milan at the Emirates that had swayed him, and especially the way he dealt with Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini.

Considering Ambrosini missed this clash, and Pirlo is now at Juventus, this was another moment Hodgson's esteemed aura took a bashing in front of the world's media.

All in all, yesterday only seemed to deflate and further agitate an already uninspired nation. If the public were unsure of England's hopes before, they now seem even more pessimistic about the entire affair.

Is all faith extinguished already without a ball being kicked? Is there any hope? Here is a desperate attempt to rouse some optimism in some of those doubting minds.

Joe Hart Must Be Beaten for England to Go Home

In the quest for hope, let's start on the pitch. Without Wayne Rooney, there are few world-class players that stand out for England.

The likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and John Terry may once have worn that crown, but they are all in the winters of their career now, and it is hard to argue they still merit that perception.

However, for the first time in many years, to defeat England, opponents must beat a goalkeeper oozing confidence and rapidly gaining a world-class reputation.

Joe Hart has just come off a spectacular season for Manchester City. The best goalkeeper in the league, he kept 17 clean sheets, only conceded every 118 minutes and had one of the best save percentage ratios in the top flight.

For so many tournaments, the bright lights and intense nature of the big stage have caused England goalkeepers to visibly wilt under the pressure. David Seaman, David James and Robert Green have all been guilty of some recent high-profile blunders.

Without wishing to tempt fate, Hart's displays over the past few seasons suggest England have finally found a goalkeeper they can rely on for years to come. This tournament should firmly establish his elite pedigree in front of the world stage.

If Hart can produce his best form, reminiscent to how he has shone for Manchester City this season, he will inspire and breath confidence into his team, something no England goalkeeper has done in recent years.

Opponents and Supporters Will Underestimate England

Let's face it, the build-up to this tournament could not have gone much worse for England.

No coach announced until a month prior to the tournament, the star player suspended for two vital group games and the former captain seemingly forever surrounded by controversy—and now with an over-hanging court case to deal with.

Add this to the overwhelming expectation and scrutiny guaranteed to suffocate the squad as soon as they set off, and opponents would be forgiven for privately expecting an easy ride against Roy Hodgson's men.

However, if England can manoeuvre their way out of their group (which does look a trickier task each day), it would only take one shock result to install fresh momentum into the side.

Generally, this nation is overcome by a torrent of hyper optimism before a tournament, so this almost non-partisan state will be refreshingly alien to most of the squad.

If that can then be utilised and translated into a bit of siege mentality—us against the world—then who knows what this squad can achieve when free from the burdens of frenzied expectation.

Denmark and Greece are testament to the fact that anyone who gains the right momentum at the right time can take home the trophy, especially when written off.

Gary Neville's Input

A truly polarising figure for football fans, loathed on the pitch by many not associated with Manchester United, yet the fact his media work at Sky has been so widely acclaimed portrays precisely how well he has done to win such respect.

Roy Hodgson is certainly tactically astute enough to decipher what he wants. However, when he was at Liverpool, he failed to get the best out of his roster.

Whether they refused to adopt his methods or he simply enforced the wrong tactics, it simply did not work.

Neville is now there to bridge the gap between the playing and coaching staff, hopefully making the relationship a little bit easier for both sides.

He is not yet fully detached from the dressing room, will have been acknowledged by players for talking sense with his punditry and, above all else, is a hugely passionate Englishman who will demand the best from the squad.

Having Neville around the camp may yet prove to be a master-stroke from Hodgson, a refreshing impulse move that could turn out to be one of the canniest picks in his touring party.

Win Without Rooney and Confidence Will Grow

England face two testing games before a suspended Wayne Rooney is free to join the party.

First up, an outrageously underrated France, and then a Swedish side that England have perennially found impossible to conquer.

Sure, these two games look daunting, yet if England can somehow secure two wins without the help of their pin-up boy, the players will start imagining what can then be achieved with Rooney in the mix.

Add a player of his calibre as a final ingredient to a winning dressing room, and suddenly, that vital short-term momentum would surely be achieved.

Last Chance for the Golden Generation

It seems like this has been a trendy topic for a few years now, yet despite the changing of the guard that supposedly took place when this campaign began, it is very possible that seven, or potentially even eight of the lineup that lost 4-1 to Germany in World Cup 2010 could start in England's first clash with France. 

Surely this tournament is the very last chance for John Terry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and possibly even Ashley Cole to fulfil their potential on the international stage?

If these core squad members do suddenly acknowledge this, there may even be an release of some pent-up pressure and an acceptance that, if they are going to go out after this tournament, they may as well go out swinging.

If a squad brimming with egos and personalities suddenly pulled together and bought into the team ethics needed to win, it would drastically enhance England's chances.

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