Hodgson: Using Ferdinand as backup would be an 'insult'

Roy Hodgson said it would be 'insulting' to use Rio Ferdinand as a backup player. Credit: ITV Sport

Roy Hodgson hadn't been in front of a camera since he took the decision, once Gary Cahill got injured, to include Martin Kelly in the squad and not Rio Ferdinand.

Many people thought because of that decision it meant proved that Rio Ferdinand wasn't left behind for footballing reasons at all.

In fact Rio's representative went further than that, saying it was an 'insult' not to include Rio Ferdinand, who is a former England captain.

But today Roy Hodgson said he doesn't see it that way:

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Defoe back with squad

The whole England squad trained today except for Martin Kelly who has a virus.

Jermain Defoe was present - he flew back from the UK early this morning after spending a couple of days at home following the death of his father.

England travel out to Donetsk tomorrow. Ahead of them is an 800-mile journey and temperatures a good deal hotter than at the training Krakow facilities - so we're about to test the wisdom of basing themselves in Poland whilst playing all their matches in Ukraine.