Burnt Cole hits out at Hoddle

Andy Cole has branded Glenn Hoddle "cowardly" for leaving him out of the England squad for tonight's friendly against the Czech Republic at Wembley.

Cole is so incensed at being overlooked by Hoddle that he claims he "would have to think seriously" about whether he would play for the England coach if he were picked in the future.

The Manchester United striker is in a rich vein of form and failing to make the squad to face the Czechs has left him "angry, disappointed and hurt".

"His (Hoddle) behaviour towards me has been cowardly," says Cole. "His comments about me are diabolical and disrespectful. I'm convinced that his reasons for leaving me out of the international squad are not professional . . . they're personal.

"He has incensed me so much that in the unlikely event of him picking me in the future I'm afraid I would have to think seriously about it. If Hoddle doesn't want me to play for him then the feeling is mutual.

"Why should he discuss it with the newspapers what he won't discuss to my face? I wish he had the bottle to tell me face to face so he can tell me just where in his opinion I have gone wrong."

Cole has won two England caps - one of them under Hoddle as a substitute in last summer's Le Tournoi.

Cole's business manager Paul Stretford has sent a letter of complaint to English FA chief executive Graham Kelly.

Stretford said: "I am protesting about spurious allegations. Andy has a fine record and Hoddle's statements are out of order."