England manager Roy Hodgson has admitted that he is glad the FA have accepted Ashley Cole’s apology.
The Chelsea left-back called the governing body a ‘bunch of twats’ on Twitter last week, with a disciplinary case looming for the full-back.
However, the Three Lions boss is now glad that he does not have a selection headache after the FA accepted Cole’s apology.
“It’s good to have a selection problem and, more importantly for me, I am very pleased that the chairman has gracefully accepted the apology from Ashley,” Hodgson told Sky Sports.
“I know how disappointed and saddened he is with this situation and I am really quite relieved as an England manager that this matter now has now been totally resolved between the FA and Ashley himself.”
Asked if Cole still has the drive and passion to play for England, Hodgson expressed the defender’s professionalism.
“Absolutely. We are talking about a man who has played 98 times, he has hardly ever missed a game for England when he has been fit, he has been regarded for many, many years as one of the best, if not the best, left-back in the world, and no-one who is fair-minded could ever criticise Ashley’s commitment to England.
“As a result his contrition is the greater because he realises that to some extent he might have put his position in jeopardy, and I am very happy that he hasn’t done that,” he concluded.
Cole is in line to face San Marino and Poland in the next week.