Alan Shearer has claimed that England may benefit from having lower expectations heading into Euro 2012.

The former England striker believes that everyone should support new manager Roy Hodgson and admits that he is pleased the FA appointed an Englishman to replace Fabio Capello.

Shearer said: "He is English, which everyone wanted, including me. It didn't sit right with me having a foreign manager so I'm pleased it's an English manager this time. We have to get behind him. For the first time in a long time England goes into a tournament without huge expectations. It might work to our advantage.

"We always get carried away going into a major tournament. For the first time I can remember there isn't a huge expectation on England.

"It could work for us."

England's group includes France, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine.