While all critics agreed that England played appallingly in the 2-1 loss to an island nation of some 330,000 people, they disagreed on just how badly it ranked in England's sorry history of underperforming at major tournaments. For some, it was the worst defeat ever. For others, just the worst in a generation.

"I'm very fragile today. It wasn't a good night, for anyone," Hodgson said.

He insisted, however, that his team had showed signs of "good football" in three group stage games before Monday's defeat in the round of 16.

"One particularly bad game has caused a lot of damage," Hodgson said. He predicted the loss could weigh on the team going forward.

"They've got a major bridge to repair," he said.

Hodgson said he appeared before the media because he didn't want to give the impression that he was "frightened." But he also said he did so reluctantly, because he said all he had to say in a resignation statement immediately after the loss.

"I was not forced to come here. I did so because I have never shirked a press conference, because I have never run away from anybody," he said. "So much is going to be written about our failure to get to the quarterfinals that nothing I can say would do anything other than fuel the flames, possibly."