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Sir David Brailsford has sympathy for former England boss Roy Hodgson

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Sir Dave Brailsford admits he does have sympathy with Roy Hodgson following England's early exit from Euro 2016

Team Sky supremo Sir David Brailsford is sympathetic to departed England boss Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson stepped down from the England job after his team's humiliating 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the last 16 of Euro 2016.

Brailsford sits on an FA advisory panel which includes chief executive Martin Glenn, vice-chairman David Gill and technical director Dan Ashworth. Glenn, Gill and Ashworth have the task of finding England's new boss.

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Brailsford - who has overseen Great Britain's rise to the very top of world cycling, with Team Sky and Team GB - suggested England may have taken the minnows for granted.

"Defeat is always closer than you think it is," he said. "It's right next to you all the time.

"If you take your eye off the ball for one second, if you take it for granted for one second, if you start thinking 'we'll win this one' and start thinking about the next round…[defeat] is ever-present.

Roy Hodgson opens up in Chantilly on Tuesday afternoon
Image: Hodgson quit after England's defeat to Iceland

"We saw what happened to Chelsea, to Jose Mourinho, this time last year after they had won the Premier League. Who would have predicted what happened?

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"That's sport isn't it? You've got to be on your game.

"I like Roy, he's a great guy. He handles himself with great dignity. It was a shame to see them lose the way they did."

Asked by Sky Sports News HQ's Orla Chennaoui if anyone in the England camp had asked for his advice, he hesitated, smiled and said: "Next question..."

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