Intro:

England coach Roy Hodgson reveals his 23-man squad for Euo 2012 and explains why he left Rio Ferdinand out of his travelling party.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English), Roy Hodgson:

"I won't deny that it's not been the easiest squad to put together and it's taken a lot of thought and occupied a lot of my thinking time. But I am pleased with the result, I am pleased with the squad that I've eventually arrived at. I think it is a well balanced squad - I think it is a squad that does take into account the fact that a lot of the players in the squad are a lot of the players who have helped England qualify for this tournament and therefore deserve a chance to play in the final tournament

SOUNDBITE: (English), Roy Hodgson:

"Well it's purely a footballing decision. Rio's a man that I respect as a player and a person. I don't know him well personally, but of course like everyone in the room I have seen enough of him over the years to realise what a fine footballer he is and what a good person he is. But I had to make a footballing decision. I had to decide on the basis basically of what I'd seen in recent months and in particular influence to some extent that Rio hasn't played so much since the World Cup and has only played once for England in the last year."

SOUNDBITE: (English), Roy Hodgson:

"Well if you take the court case first of all, I mean that's obviously very unfortunate for him but at the moment we must emphasise still that he is an innocent man until such time as he is proven guilty. As a result my decision with John Terry is once again based purely on footballing matters. I was given a free hand as to the squad I picked. I realised that when I selected him there would be people who would raise their eyebrows. But that is the decision I have made, that is the decision I will live with."