he perception of Hodgson as a conservative manag | Forum

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Despite Marc Gasols 32 points and 10 rebounds, Italy beat two-time defending champion Spain 86-81 in overtime at the European basketball championship on Monday. Italy overcame a 15-point deficit to earn the win, after Luigi Datome made a layup at the buzzer in regulation to force overtime. Also, Croatia knocked out Greece with a 92-88 victory in double OT. The loss meant little for Spain, which had qualified for the quarterfinals because of Croatias victory. Spain dropped to fourth place in Group F and will play Serbia in the first quarterfinal on Wednesday, when host Slovenia faces France. On Thursday, Croatia plays Ukraine and Lithuania is against Italy. In another game, Finland beat Slovenia 92-76. Datome also had key plays in overtime and Alessandro Gentile made four straight free throws to secure Italys victory. Gentile finished with 25 points. "We beat probably the best team in the tournament," said Italy guard Pietro Aradori, who had 17 points. Datome had a block on Victor Claver before making two free throws for an 82-77 Italy lead. Since winning the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, Italy has not been able to reach the quarterfinals in any major competition, and failed to qualify for the past two Olympics. Italy missed the 2009 Europeans as well and finished 17th two years ago. "This was a good win for my players who had a great desire to play such a game -- in the last few years we could see Spain only on TV," Italy coach Simone Pianigiani said. Spain dropped its third game of the tournament and has looked vulnerable. It has also lost to Slovenia and Greece. "I thought we had the game under control for three quarters, we defended well and we could run and score easy baskets. But then we broke down, lost our game and they took the momentum into overtime," said Gasol, whose brother Pau is sitting out the event. Bojan Bogdanovic made two free throws with 18 seconds left to secure Croatias victory in a tight game. Bogdanovic led all scorers with 22 points. Greece needed to beat Croatia and hope for Italy to beat Spain and Slovenia to defeat Finland to have any hope of advancing to the quarterfinals. Instead Croatia, which had already secured its spot, made sure of winning Group F. Croatia is aiming to make the podium at a major tournament for the first time in 18 years. Greece, champion in 1987 and 2005, had failed to make the last eight only three times since 1987. It never finished lower than sixth when it reached the quarterfinals. Nikos Zisis made a 3-pointer for Greece with nine seconds left in regulation to tie the game, and then gave his team a 3-point lead with a layup with 36 seconds left in the first overtime. But Bogdanovic hit a 3 to tie the game and Zisis missed a layup that would have won the game. "That three by Bogdanovic decided the game," Greece coach Andrea Trinchieri said. By then, Greece was already without its playmaker Vassilis Spanoulis, who fouled out with three minutes remaining in the first overtime. Zisis missed another game-tying layup in the second OT before Bogdanovic made the free throws that secured Croatias win. "We missed two layups to win the game," Trinchieri said. Centre Yannis Bourousis led Greece with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Spanoulis had 18 points. "Zisis scored a very tough shot to tie the game. Greece is a very experienced team that can control the rhythm and they did," Croatia coach Jasmin Repesa said. Manchester City Jersey. Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Richard Wright Jersey. Louis Cardinals. 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Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level.England assistant coach Gary Neville believes Roy Hodgson should remain as boss of the national team beyond Euro 2016. Neville reckons England are going through a transformation period and that the former Blackburn, Liverpool and Fulham boss should be allowed to continue the changes.Hodgsons contract expires in the summer and his hopes of remaining in the job may be shaped by how England perform at the finals in France. But Neville believes the modifications in the squad, which began at the end of a disappointing World Cup campaign in 2014, have gone under the radar.Having lost to Italy and Uruguay, Hodgson played teenagers Luke Shaw and Raheem Sterling, against Costa Rica, while Phil Jones, Jack Wilshere and Ross Barkley were all 22-years-old or younger.Of the experienced players in the squad only 36-year-old Frank Lampard played in the last game before the squad returned from Brazil, with the travelling England supporters showing their appreciation after the scoreless draw. Dele Alli (R) battles for the ball in a recent friendly The changes had started in Miami before the World Cup with Danny Welbeck, Chris Smalling, Jon Flanagan and John Stones involved, while Dele Alli and Eric Dier have been involved in the European Qualifiers.We owe those fans something, said Neville.The way in which they treated us at the end of that game against Costa Rica, when we walked over to them, Ive never seen that before. Andy Burton reports from Englands hotel after Roy Hodgson holds his first press conference since naming his final 23-man squad I hope people recognise there was an 18-year-old on the pitch against Costa Rica in Luke Shaw, there was Ross Barkley, Phil Jones, all youngish lads apart from Frank.Jack Wilshere was 22, and the 19-year-old Raheem Sterling came on.Yes, people would argue that the 2014 tournament in Brazil was a major disappointment. Id agree with that, but this summer is a big moment in terms of how the four years will be viewed in terms of the four-year contract we were all given. Raheem Sterling in action against Costa Rica in 20114 People will judge it based upon tournaments.dddddddddddd I think Roy can be proud of an excellent piece of work.It needs a good finish in the summer. My view would be that he would go on beyond the summer because at this moment in time hes doing the right things and making the right decisions, not just for himself, but for the team long-term.I think of 2010 in South Africa and old players called back out of retirement and panic calls on the last day to players to come and play.Roy went the other way. He went with Barkley, Sterling, Welbeck, Jones and Smalling. Flanagan and Stones were brought in pre-tournament. Ross Barkley (L) celebrates with Wayne Rooney and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain Post-tournament, Alli and Dier were brought in among others. Hes made a series of really good decisions for the English team but also for future tournaments for the next two to four years and hopefully he, we, can see that through.Roys brought calmness. Players respect him. They say: Yes, I like him. Theres nobody looking at Roy and thinking: Hes a bad man, hes arrogant. Actually they say: Ive got a lot of time for him. England manager Roy Hodgson says omitting three players from his squad was yesterday was very difficult Hodgsons squad for Euro 2016 is the youngest England have ever taken to the competition with an average age of a little over 25.And in an interview for the book, Fifty Years Of Hurt: The Story of England Football And Why We Should Never Stop Believing, Neville insists the perception of Hodgson as a conservative manager is misleading.What Roys been over the last four years is bold. Hes taken the average age down from 28/29 to 23/24 from Euro 2012 to Euro 2016. 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