England manager Roy Hodgson has insisted that Ashley Cole's attitude to playing for the national team cannot be called into question.

There had been doubts regarding the 31-year-old's international following a tweet that he posted last week in which he was highly critical of the Football Association, who had questioned the evidence that he gave in the John Terry racism case.

However, when asked by reporters if Cole still has the appetite to represent his country, Hodgson replied: "Absolutely, that's one thing that needs to be said. We're talking about a man who has played 98 times for England. He's hardly ever missed a game.

"He's been regarded for many, many years as one of the best left-backs in the world.

"Nobody who is fair-minded can ever criticise Ashley's commitment to England or the England shirt."

Cole made his debut for the Three Lions in 2001.