Roy Hodgson plans to pick John Terry

John Terry will be selected for England’s World Cup qualifying double-header against Moldova and Ukraine, manager Roy Hodgson confirmed yesterday.

The Football Association has yet to announce a date for 
Terry’s independent disciplinary hearing over charges he used a racist slur against Anton Ferdinand, an allegation he denies and was cleared of by a Magistrates’ Court last month.

Terry was rested, along with several other senior players, for last week’s friendly win over Italy. But Hodgson revealed that he would recall the Chelsea captain – if fit – when he names his squad on Thursday for the 
7 September away game in Moldova and the home clash against Ukraine four days later.

“As far as I know, I can select him at the moment, and I will be selecting him,” Hodgson said.

That may change if the FA announces that Terry has been found guilty in the next week, as there is a possibility his disciplinary hearing has already taken place in secret.

The FA did not make public the date for Rio Ferdinand’s hearing into the “choc ice” insult that appeared on his Twitter feed, simply revealing that he had been fined £45,000.