LONDON: Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo defended his players on Friday saying they were not out of control after Ashley Cole sent an insulting message on Twitter shortly after an FA inquiry criticised his evidence in the John Terry racism case.
Cole, 31, responded to a report which explained why the FA banned Terry for four matches and fined him 220,000 pounds (Rs 1.8 crore) for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
The report questioned Cole’s evidence saying the independent commission that ruled on the case had “considerable doubts”. Cole responded by calling the FA a “bunch of t***s”.
Di Matteo, informed of Cole’s tweet during his pre-match news conference on Friday, said his squad were not ill-disciplined and added he would judge them by what they did on the pitch.
“I judge the players on what I see when they train and play, and I try and select a team that will hopefully be able to win against Norwich. That is my job,” Di Matteo said.
Meanwhile, it was made known that Terry has until October 18 to decide whether to appeal the FA’s ban. (Reuters)