Terry in England squad for Moldova and Ukraine

LONDON (AFP) –

John Terry lies injured on the pitch during Chelsea‘s Premier League match against Reading at Stamford Bridge on August 22. Terry was included in the England squad announced Thursday for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine despite facing disciplinary action for racial abuse.

Chelsea captain John Terry was included in the England squad announced Thursday for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine despite facing disciplinary action for racial abuse.

The defender is due at a Football Association disciplinary hearing over charges he used a racist slur against Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand, an allegation he denies and was cleared of by a London court in a criminal case last month.

The controversy prompted the FA to insist Terry be stripped of the England captaincy before Euro 2012, while then manager Fabio Capello resigned in protest at the decision.

Terry, who is set to undergo a fitness test on the neck injury that prevented him from playing in Chelsea’s Premier League match with Newcastle last weekend, was selected by current England manager Roy Hodgson for the Euros.

But he was rested, along with several other senior players, for this month’s friendly win over Italy.

Daniel Sturridge takes a free-kick during Team GB’s Olympic quarter-final against South Korea at the Millennium Stadium on August 4. Sturridge is included in Roy Hodgson’s latest England squad, who will be in action against Moldova next week.

Meanwhile Daniel Sturridge and Ryan Bertrand, Terry’s club colleagues at European champions Chelsea, were also included in Hodgson’s latest squad, who will be in action against Moldova next week.

The pair both featured against Italy in Bern a fortnight ago.

Sturridge has kept his place in the absence of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, out with a thigh injury, while Bertrand provides cover at both left back and on the left side of midfield.

But Manchester United winger Ashley Young was omitted despite featuring at the Euros and starting against Italy.

United’s Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley were included, along with Adam Johnson, who left Premier League champions Manchester City for Sunderland in a bid to get more match time and further his international ambitions.

Up front, Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott were included despite the speculation surrounding their futures at Liverpool and Arsenal respectively.

Jack Butland, who played in the Great Britain Olympic football team, and John Ruddy were named as back-up goalkeepers to first-choice Joe Hart.

That meant Robert Green lost his place as understudy from Euro 2012, completing a bad worrying hours for the QPR shot-stopper following Brazilian Julio Cesar’s arrival at Loftus Road.

England’s campaign to reach Brazil 2014 starts in Moldova on September 7 before they face Ukraine at Wembley four days later.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Birmingham City), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich City)

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Sunderland), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United)