England manager Roy Hodgson has rallied behind the Football Association's DNA initiative, insisting that it will make the national team stronger in the long run.

The Three Lions boss believes that the scheme, which is based on the models of Germany and Belgium, will give the country's youth players some much-needed direction.

"I think it is very important we have a very clear idea of what principles we are going to follow and what we want the players to be doing in different situations," he said in a statement.

"We want to improve their awareness tactically and their game management. All these types of thing are what I think is going to make England teams stronger going forward, and it is very much a coaching matter.

"The earlier we can get these messages across to the players and really bed them in, it should help the seniors when the players progress through the levels and arrive in that team."

England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate has also pledged his support to the DNA programme.