Hodgson holds hands up for Rio gaffe
ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson has apologised to Rio Ferdinand after details of his latest omission from the national squad were leaked following a conversation the 65-year-old had on the London underground when heading to Arsenal’s 3-1 Champions League victory over Olympiakos on Wednesday.
Hodgson yesterday announced his 25-man squad for the imminent World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland but even if it was a development that was already largely expected, the manager felt it wrong such news had emerged that way.
“I apologise to [Ferdinand],” said Hodgson. “There is no way I would indicate that I would not use a player in this way. I have tried to get in touch with Rio and I am disappointed that a stray conversation has been reported that way.”
England’s 25-man squad in full
■ Joe Hart
Manchester City
■ John Ruddy
Norwich City
■ Fraser Forster
Celtic
■ Glen Johnson
Liverpool
■ Kyle Walker
Tottenham Hotspur
■ Ashley Cole
Chelsea
■ Kieran Gibbs
Arsenal
■ Leighton Baines
Everton
■ Gary Cahill
Chelsea
■ Phil Jagielka
Everton
■ Joleon Lescott
Manchester City
■ Ryan Shawcross
Stoke City
■ James Milner
Manchester City
■ Aaron Lennon
Tottenham Hotspur
■ A Oxlade-Chamberlain
Arsenal
■ Steven Gerrard*
Liverpool
■ Michael Carrick
Manchester United
■ Frank Lampard
Chelsea
■ Tom Cleverley
Manchester United
■ Adam Johnson
Sunderland
■ Theo Walcott
Arsenal
■ Jermain Defoe
Tottenham Hotspur
■ Wayne Rooney
Manchester United
■ Danny Welbeck
Manchester United
■ Andy Carroll
West Ham United
*Steven Gerrard is the full England captain