England manager Roy Hodgson has defended his decision to rest a number of key players for the recent Euro 2016 meeting with Slovakia.
The Three Lions dominated the chances in last Monday's Group B meeting but were unable to make the breakthrough in a 0-0 draw at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard.
A failure to win ensured that England finished in second place behind Wales, paving the way for a tougher knockout-stage run if they are to make it through to the final.
Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has already defended Hodgson's decision to rotate his squad by making six changes, and the England boss has also denied claims that he was to blame for the stalemate.
"I accept so many nonsenses that are said to me and written that I don't often get a chance to put things right," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying. "I'd like to put one or two of them right.
"I've had to stick my chin out and say 'I don't care what anyone else thinks, Wayne Rooney is going to the Euros; Wayne Rooney is our captain and Wayne Rooney is going to play.' And now we didn't score against Slovakia despite 29 shots and 15 corners and God knows what else, because Wayne Rooney didn't play more than 30 minutes.
"Well, excuse me, I find it hard to go along with that line of argument, that I should now regret the fact that I didn't start with Rooney or that I didn't start with [Harry] Kane and [Raheem] Sterling who, if I had started with them and lost the game, I would have been criticised."
England take on Iceland on Monday evening in a last-16 tie in Nice, with the winner on course to face tournament hosts France or the Republic of Ireland in the next round.
Daniel Lewis
