Roy Hodgson wants England team to be good tourists

After past embarrassments, new manager Roy Hodgson and the FA want England to win over hearts and minds as well as games, writes Henry Winter from London

Bolstered by Wayne Rooney and the Chelsea quartet, England gather today at the Grove, where they will be informed by Roy Hodgson that their forthcoming mission in Poland and Ukraine is primarily to win matches but also to win local hearts and minds along the way. Hodgson and the Football Association want England to be "good tourists".

It is time for the squad to reveal their human side, to banish the perception of arrogance and insularity that has long dogged England at tournaments. A glance at the human qualities of the 2010 World Cup finalists might be instructive. The Spanish, by and large, were celebrated for their humility in South Africa. The Dutch, for all their toxic tackling, boast a number of rounded and intelligent individuals, men who spent time exploring South Africa.

Even the Dutch Wags visited Robben Island while Fabio Capello's crew played golf. It is possible to progress at a tournament while embracing the culture. It is better than being stuck in a hotel room plugged into a computer game.

England's behaviour was embarrassing in South Africa. It was an echo of that awkward situation in 2003 when eight players refused the chance to fly from Durban to Johannesburg to meet Nelson Mandela. Paul Scholes, Gareth Barry, Joe Cole, Danny Mills, Phil Neville, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Southgate and Paul Robinson stayed at their base, resting up. Their absence drew criticism from South Africa's captain, Lucas Radebe. Southgate defended them by saying they were tired after a long flight and the Mandela meeting was the day before the game. As professionals, they wanted to focus on their main reason for being in South Africa.

It is a balance. Concerns have been voiced within the England set-up about the proposed visit to Auschwitz shortly after arriving in Krakow on June 6. It is a minimum seven-hour round trip and there are legitimate fears about the inevitable emotional impact. The answer could be to send some of those unlikely to start against France on June 11, including the suspended Rooney.

This is not PR by the FA. This is a desire for players to be more aware of life outside their gilded cage, perhaps making them appreciate their good fortune, so working hard to maintain it, and also showing respect to the hosts. Some players do want to engage in their environment, do want to be "good tourists".

During the 2002 World Cup in Japan, certain players debated whether it was possible to visit the museum at Hiroshima. One player inquired: "what's Hiroshima?" They need to read up more, get out more. Many players become absorbed into the elite football world so young that education can pass them by.

Others are bright. Armed with 10 GCSEs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is eloquent, modest and ambitious. If he emerges as a playing force under Hodgson, Oxlade-Chamberlain would be the perfect model for the new regime, being a professional with the talent to win matches as well as hearts and minds. His Arsenal team-mate, Theo Walcott, is another trusty ambassador for his country. There are good tourists in the squad. With all the hype, it can be easy to forget that footballers are sinew and bone, occasionally broken bone. John Ruddy was so proud of his call-up but heartache followed when he broke his finger. Robert Green's family were hounded by the media after he let in Clint Dempsey's strike at the 2010 World Cup. Nobody deserves that.

Gerrard arguably represents a fitting captain for the Hodgson era, lacking swagger, almost painfully honest in listing deficiencies. He remembers well the hubris of 2006, of how England swanned around "Germany blowing our own trumpet and returned home mute with embarrassment". The winds of realism blow through the England dressing-room. The winds of change on the behaviour front too.

In Oslo, the FA handed Gerrard and each of his players a rose to give to their Norwegian counterparts. It was a gesture of support for a country still in shock and mourning after the Breivik murders and an appreciative Ullevaal stood in applause. Even in Oslo, 11 roses would not have cost the earth. It was a nice touch from good tourists.

One notable good tourist is missing. Rio Ferdinand's absence is doubly unfortunate. Not only does he still contribute as a centre-half, as 38 appearances for Manchester United indicate, but he remains hugely popular in the England dressing-room. Joleon Lescott talks of Ferdinand being a "good friend" who had the class to text him a note of congratulations after the title race went to Manchester City. Lescott did not think "there'd be any animosity" over John Terry's presence. Let's hope so. Terry first needs to learn the difference between self-awareness and self-worth. He needs to prove he can be a good tourist.

Matching the squad's efforts, supporters are playing a significant role in giving England a human face. Once reviled, they are now welcomed. Their singing of "Norway's expensive, I want to go home" drew laughs from the Ullevaal faithful. There will always be a noxious element to England's following, and "10 German bombers" are never far from getting an airing, but they have made huge strides, highlighted in their plans for the Euros. On June 15, members of the official englandfans organisation spend the day in Kiev with Dinamo supporters, laying a wreath at the statue to the World War Two "death match" that inspired the film Escape to Victory. Four days later, the England supporters are guests of Shaktar Donetsk at a "Football Unites" day. Judging by the itinerary, every event seems to be followed by "fans' match and party". Great. Anything that makes two cultures understand each other better should be encouraged, especially if it leads to Ukraine addressing racism issues.

The FA has worked with the more enlightened fan leaders in making the support "good tourists". Some trust is at stake here, especially with those basing themselves in Krakow for reasons of flights, nightlife and proximity to the England camp. After going stir crazy out in the bush at Bafokeng in 2010, England are now billeted in the Hotel Stary, a cobbled-stone's throw from the elegant centre of Krakow.

Hodgson's players are being allowed to go out in the afternoon, visiting family, shopping, strolling around the beautiful old town, a Unesco World Heritage site. They are usually good at signing autographs and posing for pictures but they need some peace if trying to grab a quiet coffee with family and friends. Footballers are humans, too.