Phil Jagielka looks to go far under Roy Hodgson

Phil Jagielka is hoping new head coach Roy Hodgson will provide “the missing ingredient” and bring England long-awaited success at Euro 2012.

Everton central defender Jagielka was promoted to the squad after Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry was ruled out through injury on Monday. He is looking forward to his first major tournament with his country and believes a strong end to the campaign with Everton has helped him to gain selection by Hodgson. Now Jagielka is keeping his fingers crossed Hodgson can end England’s 46-year wait for a major trophy, even though he accepts expectation levels are lower than at previous finals.

Jagielka said: “I’m sure if we win a game, we will be favourites and, if we lose, we will be regarded as a waste of space. It would be better for the squad if there was a little bit less expectation on us. Hopefully we can go under the radar until the latter stages of the tournament and get further than we have done before.

“If we are being realistic, we haven’t won anything for a number of years now and maybe that is because we don’t deserve to. Hopefully this time around we can perform a little bit better and see where it takes us.”

Hodgson enjoyed previous international success with Switzerland and Jagielka believes he can quickly make his mark on the squad. He said: “I think he can impose his ideas, the tactical knowledge and how he wants the team to shape up and how he wants us to play. We’ve all been playing for a number of years. It’s not like it is a new game for us but he can put his thoughts across on the training ground.

“He and Ray Lewington will be out on the training ground getting us to play the way they want us to play. Hopefully they can find the missing ingredient to put us through to the latter stages of the tournament.”

Jagielka has been called up by Hodgson after impressing during the 1-0 weekend friendly win in Norway. He said: “It was disappointing not to be in the original 23 but the manager was very honest and up front with me. He said ‘would you come and join up and be on standby and play a part in the Norway game and, if anything does happen you are in with a shot for going to the Euros?’ As it is, I got to play 90 minutes, which was fantastic, and a few days later I’ve made the 23.”

Everton team-mate Leighton Baines admits being part of England’s Euro 2012 squad will help make up for his World Cup heartbreak, even though he recognises the size of the task facing him to replace Ashley Cole. The left-back was included in the final 30 by Fabio Capello two years ago for the tournament in South Africa only to lose out to Cole and Stephen Warnock when it was trimmed to 23.

This time Baines is in the party but is aware Cole’s outstanding form means he will find it difficult to taste any action during the Euro finals.

Baines said: “It’s nice to get the call. Last time it was an initial 30-man squad and you were hanging around for a couple of weeks. Then you had the disappointment that comes with not making the final squad. Hopefully this call-up goes to making up for that a little bit. Now it’s just about getting through the next couple of weeks and the manager getting his points and ideas across and us taking them on board.”