ENGLAND

The other team Irish fans will be keeping a close eye on, Roy Hodgson is hoping his youthful side can make a big impression at an international tournament for the first time in 20 years following their Euro 2016 heartache.

The omens are good from an English perspective. Their unblemished qualifying record was a sign that things are going in the right direction and the introduction of the likes of Danny Rose, Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy has changed the dynamic of a previously established squad.

Up front, The Three Lions look full of scoring potential, if light on international experience. Vardy and Kane shared 49 Premier League goals between them last term, while Daniel Sturridge still managed eight league goals in just 14 appearances in another injury-interrupted campaign.

The ace in the pack could be Manchester United whizzkid Marcus Rashford. His inclusion in the final panel dominated the headlines, and the 18-year-old's trajectory has been so impressive that it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he emulated Michael Owen in France '98 and emerged as England's most potent weapon. 

Much focus will also be on his captain and clunmate Wayne Rooney. The has been playing in a deep-lying role at the tail end of the season, but will Hodgson follow suit? Or will it be Vardy, Kane, Sturridge or even the prodigious Rashford to partner the 30-year-old?

Despite bagging 51 goals for his country, opinions remain divided whether Hodgson should go with form over reputation for his starting XI.

With a potent attack and a midfield brimming with potential and confidence, their defence is likely to decide just how far the team progresses in the competition, and more specifically, the central defensive partnership.

Phil Jagielka has been dispensed with, as Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill and John Stones battle for two positions and Eric Dier to offer cover if needed. The ever-improving Smalling and resolute Cahill appear to be in the driving seat, but will need to be at their very best in France

Similar to the World Cup two years ago, Hodgson has been coy about their chances in the competition and keen to downplay expectations.

However the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ is no more and the former Liverpool manager has a squad with little baggage and lots of potential.

Manager: Roy Hodgson

Key Player: Eric Dier

Not the most high-profile pick in the 23-man squad and boasts just four caps to his name, but Eric Dier could be entrusted with the most important role in the team. A converted centre-half, he has been a revelation for Tottenham Hotspur, offering a protective shield in front of the back four and often the launchpad for counter-attacks.

Will battle with Jack Wilshere and for the holding position.

His excellent positional sense has allowed Dele Alli and Harry Kane shine at club level, something Hodgson will be keen to replicate this summer.

Fixtures
June 11 England v Russia, Stade Vélodrome, 8pm (Irish time)
June 16 England v Wales, Stade Bollaert-Delelis, 2pm
June 20 Slovakia v England, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 8pm

WALES

Chris Coleman wrote his name into the record books as the first manager to lead Wales into a European Championships, though not surprisingly, it was Real Madrid star Gareth Bale who was the central in their qualification.

In a group that contained Belgium, for a while the number one ranked country in the world, Bosnia and Israel, Wales finished second with just one defeat.

Bale illustrated on a number of occasions why Madrid made him the most expensive footballer of all-time with seven goals and the highlight of the campaign was undoubtedly the home victory over Belgium.

Just how far can Coleman’s side go? Well getting out for the group is certainly attainable and would surpass the achievements of 1958, when they participated in their one and only World Cup campaign.

Swansea City captain Ashley Williams will marshal the defence in front of the dependable Wayne Hennessy and their concession of just four goals in the campaign was testament to their sound defensive set-up.

Claims of an over-reliance on Bale are obvious, but with Aaron Ramsey, Joe Ledley and Joe Allen to call on, Coleman does have options in midfield.

Up front is the weakest area of the squad – Wales managed just 11 goals in 10 qualifying games – and their fate could well rest on the final group game against Russia in Toulouse.

Manager: Chris Coleman

Key Player: Gareth Bale

Describing Wales as a ‘one-man’ team is too simplistic and unfair on a side ranked 24th in the world, but few players will be carrying as much responsibility on their shoulders as the former Tottenham Hotspur man.

The 26-year-old has been on the goal trail again this season for both club and country and with Wales struggling for goals, the onus is on Bale to both create and score.

Bale has said that Wales reaching the European Championship in France was the finest moment of his career, quite a statement from a player who has scored in a Champions League final

The only negative note has been a recurrence of muscle injuries, limiting him to 27 starts out of a possible 49 games and will preoccupy the thoughts of the Welsh management team.

Fixtures
June 11 Wales v Slovakia, Noveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 5pm
June 16 England v Wales, Stade Bollaert-Delelis, 2pm
June 20 Russia v Wales, Stadium Municipal, Toulouse 8pm

RUSSIA

Can the 40/1 shots finally deliver on the big stage?

While the Soviet Union were the inaugural winners of the competition in 1960 and beaten finalists in 1964, 1972 and 1988, Russia have qualified for most European Championships with little to show.

Guus Hiddink led them out of the group stages for the only time in 2008 where they reached the last four and Leonid Slutsky, a mid-campaign replacement for Fabio Capello, will be eyeing a place in the knock-out stages.

The loss of CSKA midfielder Alan Dzagoev on the eve of the tournament with a broken foot was a cruel blow for the Russians.

One of the stars of Euro 2012 – he finished as joint top-scorer with three goals – he occupied the ‘quarterback’ role, dictating the tempo from a  deep-lying midfield role, and his absence will be a welcome relief to both Roy Hodgson and Chris Coleman.

Slutsky, dubbed the ‘Russian Mourinho’, favours a pragmatic approach to the game, with two midfielders likely to sit in front of the back four.

Artem Dzyuba was Russia’s leading scorer during qualifying programme with eight goals and is likely to lead the line with Fedor Smolov.

In the absence of Dzagoev, Aleksander Kokorin and Oleg Shatov will have to come up with the goods on the flanks, while the biggest concern for Russian fans will be an ageing defence with a lot of question marks hanging over it.

Sergei Ignashevich turns 37 during the summer and the 33-year-old Vasili Berezutski are the first-choice pairing and could be suspectible to pace merchants such as Jamie Vardy, Raheem Sterling and Gareth Bale.

Former Chelsea defender Yuri Zhirkov and influential Denis Cheryshev miss out through injury, while a nightmare season for the country’s record goal scorer Alexander Kerzhakov was compounded when he was omitted by Slutsky. 

Along with the dismal World Cup performance in Brazil lingering in the memory, expectations are lower than normal heading into the tournament, which may suit a team always capable of one big performance if not enough consistency to leave a lasting impression.

Manager: Leonid Slutsky

Key Player: Roman Shirokov

The 34-year-old captain will sit in front of the defence alongside Igor Denisov, but while the Dynamo Moscow midfielder is very much the ‘enforcer', Shirokov will be allowed licence to move forward and has an eye for goal (he has scored against the Republic and Northern Ireland in recent qualifying campaigns).

In the absence of Dzagoev, his creativity and ability to find the net – he has 13 and counting in Russian colours – will be crucial to their hopes of getting out of the group.

Was badly missed at the World Cup in Brazil.

Fixtures
June 11 England v Russia, Stade Vélodrome, 8pm
June 15 Russia v Slovakia, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 2pm
June 20 Russia v Wales, Stadium Municipal, Toulouse 8pm

SLOVAKIA

Very much the outsiders in Group B, and only Hungary, Northern Ireland and Albania are longer odds of the 32 teams to win the competition outright.

However to completely dismiss their chances would be ill-advised.

On paper it is at least as strong as the side that reached the last-16 in the 2010 World Cup, where they edged out Italy in the group stages, and has lost just twice in the last two years and 17 games.

The news that talisman Robert Vittek has been ruled out is a huge blow to manager Ján Kozák as the country gears up for its maiden European Championship campaign.

The 34-year-old striker is the country’s all-time record goal scorer and a focal point of their attack, and heaps more pressure on Marek Hamšík, Miroslav Stoch and Vladimir Weiss to create opportunities for a team that can expect to be on the back foot for large periods of their group games.

The highlight of their qualifying campaign was undoubtedly the improbable 2-1 win over Spain, condemning the visitors to their first qualifying defeat in eight years, which was proceeded by an impressive victory in Ukraine.

Their form dipped as the campaign came to a conclusion but still managed to finish three points ahead of Ukraine.

Martin Skrtel is a recognisable Premier League face in defence, but Marek Hamšík aside, it is a collection of decent players, rather than individual brilliance.

Anything other than bottom of the group would be deemed a success and the opening game against Wales in Bordeaux really is crucial if they are to have any chance of progress.

Manager: Ján Kozák

Key Player: Marek Hamšík

The Napoli captain is the one touch of class in the workmanlike side and similar to Bale for Wales, carries the hopes of a nation in France.

The absence of Vittek up front increases his responsibility further on the top-scorer from qualifying with five goals, but the 28-year-old attacking midfielder has the perfect opportunity to showcase his talents on the international stage.

Comfortable behind the striker or as a central midfielder, the four-time Slovakian Player of the Year captained his country when Slovakia emerged from their group at the 2010 World Cup and his craft and opportunism will be vital for their chances in France.

Fixtures
June 11 Wales v Slovakia, Noveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, 5pm
June 15 Russia v Slovakia, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, 2pm
June 20 Slovakia v England, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 8pm