Hodgson has Midas touch - Richards

Euro 2012: Roy Hodgson has 'Midas' touch - Sir Dave Richards

Football Association vice-chairman Sir Dave Richards says Roy Hodgson has brought "a Midas touch" to England's fortunes during Euro 2012.

Richards, also chairman of the FA's international committee, says the team spirit shown in Friday's vital 3-2 win against Sweden was "unique".

"The way they all want to work for one another and the comradeship behind the scenes is quite unbelievable," he said.

"It's down to Roy. He seems to have that little bit of a Midas touch."

Analysis

Phil McNulty Chief football writer, BBC Sport

Hodgson will be judged on the impact and results of his big calls and he could not have done much better both in acting on a tactical theory and reacting when it threatened to go wrong.

Read more of Phil's blog

England were trailing 2-1 in the second half of their Group D game in Kiev when Hodgson introduced substitute Theo Walcott. And the 23-year-old Arsenal winger turned the game in England's favour by scoring the equalising goal before setting up Danny Welbeck's winner.

Afterwards, Hodgson praised Walcott's impact and said he had been impressed by his whole team's response after Olof Mellberg's double threatened to send England to defeat.

But Premier League chairman Richards, speaking to BBC Sport from the England team's base in Krakow, insists 64-year-old Hodgson deserves the plaudits for ushering in a new team spirit.

"He's brought something a little bit different, he's very progressive in his way," he said. "It's something that is a little bit unique - I've never seen anything like it before.

"Everybody seems to be in a great frame of mind. The mood is fantastic and the manager is in great form."