LONDON, Sept 2: Roy Hodgson has launched a passionate defence of England’s old guard as he prepares to use the aging stars to form the spine of his team for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

England start on the road to Brazil on Friday with their opening qualifier in Moldova followed by a home game against Ukraine the following week.

Hodgson, who when asked why he had stuck so stoically by his older players including Frank Lampard, John Terry and Steven Gerrard said:

“Because I think they are good enough, that’s why. Terry and Lampard are bad examples for that kind of argument actually because Andre Villas-Boas, when he took over the Chelsea team, decided that was the way he would go and yet they were the players who came back to win the Champions League.

“I want to win matches and I won’t be prepared to throw players of Terry, Lampard and Gerrard’s quality away from the national team until I am sure there are much better players who can take their place and help us win games.”—AFP