New England manager Roy Hodgson has said that his first and foremost priority is to look at the situation regarding Chelsea captain John Terry and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. Rio Ferdinand and John Terry are involved in a race issue over the allegations that the Chelsea defender racially abused the brother of Rio Ferdinand – QPR defender Anton Ferdinand – in a match between the two clubs earlier in the season. The former West Brom manager signed a new contract with the English FA, which will keep him in the job till Euro 2016. Even though the 33-year-old Rio Ferdinand has not been the best of form for Manchester United, Roy Hodgson says that he regards the former West Ham defender to be a great influence in the squad.

As a result, he will be personally try to solve the situation regarding John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. A trial for John Terry is not scheduled after the end of the European Championships. However, Roy Hodgson will have to name his final squad for the Euro 2012 by May 14, and many are having a bet Euro 2012 is a success. Former England manager Fabio Capello resigned from the job after falling out with the English FA over the same issue. John Terry was sacked as the England captain for the second time after being accused of racism.

“I’ll have to get in touch with John and Rio to speak with them, hopefully face to face, and find out where they are in this situation. And not just those two. I’ll have to speak to as many senior players as I can. Until such time as I’ve actually spoken to them and found out where they stand in relation to the current situation, it would be wrong of me to comment,” Hodgson said regarding the situation surrounding John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.