Story highlights
England coach Roy Hodgson overlooks defender Rio Ferdinand for a second time
Hodgson calls up Liverpool's Martin Kelly as a replacement for the injured Gary Cahill
France midfielder Yann M'Vila struggling to be fit for their match with England on June 9
Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger is fit to travel with his teammates on Monday
England coach Roy Hodgson has overlooked experienced international Rio Ferdinand for a second time after electing to call up Liverpool defender Martin Kelly as a replacement for the injured Gary Cahill.
Chelsea’s Cahill suffered a double jaw fracture in England’s 1-0 win over Belgium on Saturday, but instead of turning to Ferdinand, who has 81 caps, Hodgson drafted in Kelly – who only made his international debut last month.
When Hodgson named his 23-man Euro 2012 squad last month he said he omitted the 33-year-old for “footballing reasons,” having been asked if it was because of John Terry’s impending court case for allegedly abusing Ferdinand’s younger brother Anton.
Manchester United’s Ferdinand used his official Twitter account on Sunday to say, “What reasons?????!!!”
His agent Jamie Moralee released a statement accusing Hodgson of a “lack of respect” for the center back.
“Rio’s very disappointed,” said Moralee. “He thought he had done enough. It’s very difficult to accept.
“This is a player with 81 caps for his country. I don’t know anyone who understands it. It’s not been handled in the right way.”
England’s preparations have been overshadowed by Chelsea captain Terry’s trial, which takes place after the June 8-July 1 tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Terry denies the charges.
Terry and Ferdinand have been England’s preferred defensive pairing in recent years, but while the former will travel to the team’s base in Krakow this week, the latter’s international career now appears to be over.
Cahill joined clubmate Frank Lampard in withdrawing from the squad, with the veteran midfielder ruled out last week due to a thigh injury. Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry also misses out with a groin injury.
France coach Laurent Blanc also faces injury worries ahead of the opening Group D match against England in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk on June 11.
Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila is struggling to be fit after picking up an ankle sprain during Thursday’s 2-0 win over Serbia, which the French Football Federation described as “moderately serious.”
However, Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has recovered from a calf injury and theBayern Munich star was due to fly out to the 2008 finalists’ tournament base in Gdansk on Monday.
Croatia striker Ivica Olic has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, and coach Slaven Bilic has replaced him with Nikola Kalinic of Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.