By failing to replace Gary Cahill with Rio Ferdinand, the England manager Roy Hodgson has compounded his original error.

By AM Sunday, June 10, 2012

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As the European Championships get under way, the first matches having been played, TPQ carries a timely piece from guest writer Mick Hall on the ethics of the English teams management . It first appeared on the blog Organized Rage on 5 June 2012

With the championship due to begin at the end of this week, Roy Hodgson was given an opportunity to right this wrong, when defender Gary Cahill  was ruled out of the tournament after being injured in England’s friendly against Belgium. But instead of recalling Ferdinand to the squad, a man who has won 81 caps for his country, Hodgson chose the inexperienced Liverpool fullback Martin Kelly as a replacement for Cahill.

It seems to me with this decision Hodgson has compounded his original error to leave Rio out of the squad. When he first excluded him he said he had left him out for "football reasons" rather than concerns about whether his body could hold up to a major tournament football. Which would have made him look ridiculous as Rio has played in all of Manchester United’s games since January of this year.

That Hodges never explained what those "footballing reasons" are makes one less inclined to believe him, the more so now when he has replaced Cahill with an inexperienced youngster like Martin Kelly. Hodgson is known for his defensive football and it makes little sense to go with a promising yet raw 22-year-old who plays predominantly at right-back. When Rio a serial Premier League winner, with a 14-year international career encompassing 81 caps is available for selection.

One cannot help believing "footballing reasons" have absolutely nothing to do with the English manager’s decision and once again it comes down to the malign influence of John Terry within the English dressing room.

If Rio Ferdinand were in the Squad, as a former England captain he would become an alternative pole of influence. A number of the England players who are known to despise Terry would gravitate to Rio, this is not his fault but Roy Hodgins for having Terry in the squad. It seems to me the England manager will have additional problems if John Terry is convicted when he returns to court on 9th July, accused of racially abusing Ferdinand's younger brother, Anton, during Chelsea's defeat at Queens Park Rangers last October.

Whilst Terry has a long history of managing to get himself out of all sorts of unsavoury trouble, in Anton Ferdinand he may have met his match. For not only is he determined to have his day in court, the CPS looks like it has a water tight case. I cannot see how calling Anton a 'fucking black cunt' in full view of thousands of QPR fans and TV cameras, can be denied or brushed off as typical football banter. After all, thankfully when it comes to racism in football, England is no longer like the Ukraine, the co-hosts of the European championship.

If John Terry is found guilty Roy Hodgins will have some explaining to do as to why he preferred John Terry in his squad whilst he was on bail for a racist offence. The more so if England crash out of the European Cup in the early stages.