Roy Hodgson defends decision to put Harry Kane on corners at Euro 2016 and dismisses criticism as 'nonsense'

Hodgson's decision to put forward Kane on corner responsibilities drew particularly sharp abuse from England's supporters - but the 69-year-old has dismissed such criticism as 'nonsense'

Harry Kane was handed the responsibility of taking England's corners during Euro 2016 (Getty)

Former England manager Roy Hodgson has defended his decision to put Harry Kane on corners during the national side's ill-fated Euro 2016 campaign and dismissed such criticism as "nonsense".

England were ignominiously knocked out of the competition by minnows Iceland, leading to Hodgson's immediate resignation.

The national side managed just one victory from their four games in France, beating rivals Wales 2-1, and were subject to intense criticism throughout the tournament.

Hodgson's decision to put forward Kane on corner responsibilities drew particularly sharp abuse from England's supporters - but the 69-year-old has dismissed such criticism as "nonsense".

“They are nonsense," he said. "People should be ashamed of those things. Why shouldn’t Harry Kane take corners? If he happens to be the best striker of a ball in the team and gives you the best delivery why shouldn’t he do it?"

Hodgson also came under scrutiny for making six changes to the side that beat Wales prior to their 0-0 draw with Slovakia in England's final group stage game.

But speaking in a recent interview with the Big Issue, the ex-Liverpool boss remained fiercely defiant about his decision-making and England legacy as a whole.

“And the ‘six’ changes are actually four changes from the team who were on the field at the end of the game against Wales," he added. "Questions would have been asked if I’d left out Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge after they came on as substitutes at half-time and scored [against Wales].

“What’s more, working with a squad of players, people would also ask why didn’t I give a chance to Jordan Henderson and Jack Wilshere, Ryan Bertrand and Nathaniel Clyne, who are four excellent players.

“I was totally uninterested in those type of comments, which I regard as purely irrelevant and dishonest. No one whose opinion I respect would have said anything like that, otherwise I would have heard about it.”

England's players were ignominiously knocked out of Euro 2016 by Iceland (Getty)

Hodgson admitted that in spite of the humiliating circumstances surrounding his resignation, he remains "very proud" of what he achieved with England.

“I certainly didn’t feel suicidal and I certainly didn’t feel self-doubt either because I think probably the four years, especially the last two years after the World Cup, fashioning a team from a very young group of players, many of whom weren’t even in their club side, and playing the sort of football we were capable of playing – we were playing very, very well.

Roy Hodgson resigned as England manager after defeat by Iceland (Getty)

“I am very, very proud of that achievement. I think it is probably the best work, in many ways, that I did or have done so far."

Hodgson admits he has not watched the Iceland game again since that fateful day on June 27. “I consign it to history,” he says. “I don’t need to watch it, I have a perfectly good idea of what happened and why it happened.”