Harry Redknapp leaps to defence of Roy Hodgson and England Harry Redknapp yesterday hit back at press criticism of Roy Hodgson's England for their efforts at Euro 2012. However, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager accepted the national team must raise their game if they are to make progress. England were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of another major tournament when they lost 4-2 on penalties to Italy, after a 0-0 draw, on Sunday night. However, just to have made the latter stages of the competition was an achievement in itself, given Hodgson only took on the job five weeks before the start of the tournament. Redknapp, who at one stage had looked set for the England job, said: "It is unbelievable. Our back four and goalkeeper will be as good as any back four and goalkeeper in the tournament, man for man. No one's blaming Roy or anyone else, that's for sure. He's just took over, he's going to have to get his own style of play, but we've got to start playing some football haven't we? Redknapp conceded England need to improve aspects of their game, having faded badly in the second half against the Italians, when they were chasing possession for large spells. Our possession was less than any team in the tournament I think, apart from the Irish. Hodgson also received backing from his Germany counterpart, Joachim Löw. For the fourth major tournament running, the Germans have reached the semi-final stage and, by contrast, England have not reached the last four of any tournament since Euro '96 when they lost to Germany on penalties at Wembley. Löw does not have a magic wand, but after being directly responsible for England's elimination from the last World Cup, when Germany won a second-round match 4-1 in Bloemfontein, he has detected a significant improvement under Hodgson, which he is certain will continue. When they played us then they were a team who had a lot of problems. [At Euro 2012] they were a very well-organised team. Löw's comments are a slap in the face for Hodgson's predecessor, Capello, who has been making waves of his own this week, hinting that Wayne Rooney only performs well for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "Capello is entitled to his opinions, I suppose, but I always think it's a bit cheap to kid on a player who was so anxious to do well," Hodgson said. Hodgson has already dismissed this and defended his decision to give Rooney an extra week off in the build-up, which meant he missed the friendly win in Norway. That move could now be interpreted as a mistake given the forward looked so short of match fitness when he eventually returned against Ukraine.