England coach Roy Hodgson has no problem with Chelsea star Ashley Cole expressing himself on social media.

While the defender might divide fans, Hodgson thinks he's a top pro and should be allowed to shape his image as he sees fit.

The England boss said: "Every player has the right to be true to their own feelings, and his is that he will do his talking on the field. He's saying 'I don't want to give lots of interviews, I want to be judged as a pure footballer.'

"I respect that wholeheartedly and have always found him to be an excellent professional and a very, very enthusiastic and important member of the group and I'm looking forward to working with him for a long time to come."