Roy Hodgson 'happy' with 2018 World Cup qualifying draw

England manager Roy Hodgson is happy with the qualifying draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will see the Three Lions face Scotland.

The 1966 winners will also face Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta, and Hodgson believes that they could have been handed a far harder draw.

He told BBC Sport: "I'm pleased to come away with a good group and if England want me to lead the team I will be delighted to do so. If we can come through Euro 2016 without too many tears being shed I believe we have a good chance of qualifying for 2018.

"It is positive, so many other groups would have been more problematic, not least for fans travelling, some are not such easy countries to get to, but we've been drawn not only nice places but easy to get to as well."

England's game with Scotland will be the first competitive clash between the teams since 1999, and Hodgson is excited by the tie.

"The Scotland fixture really does excite people. We have got recent experience of what the atmosphere will be like. The games will excite the public, get people in the mass media excited too, it is a good draw all round – I think Scotland will be happy with it and we are happy with it."

The first games will be played in September 2016.