Sir Alex Ferguson believes new England manager Roy Hodgson should take veteran defender Rio Ferdinand to Euro 2012 after a "fantastic" season.
Hodgson has pledged to speak to Ferdinand and fellow defender John Terry before deciding whether to pick the duo for next month's finals in Poland and Ukraine.
Former England captain Terry faces a July court hearing into charges that he racially abused Ferdinand's younger brother Anton during a Premier League clash with Queens Park Rangers in October.
Terry strongly denies the allegations and has vowed to clear his name but the issue of whether he can co-exist in the England dressing room alongside Rio Ferdinand remains the subject of debate.
However Ferguson believes on form and experience alone, Ferdinand should be part of the England squad.
"He has done fantastic this season," Ferguson said Thursday. "There was a period where I played him in three games in seven days from the end of January but apart from that it has been every seven days.
"He has coped very well and has had a fantastic season.
"I don't know if Roy's thinking about the situation because I haven't spoken to him but experience is going to be important in the European Championships.
"I think Phil Jones and Chris Smalling should go but they have not played a lot of football this season in terms of centre-back play, so you go back to what you are left with.
"You have John Terry and Rio Ferdinand and Gary Cahill. Then you have Jones and Smalling.
"There is not a lot after that."
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Hodgson has pledged to speak to Ferdinand and fellow defender John Terry before deciding whether to pick the duo for next month's finals in Poland and Ukraine.
Former England captain Terry faces a July court hearing into charges that he racially abused Ferdinand's younger brother Anton during a Premier League clash with Queens Park Rangers in October.
Terry strongly denies the allegations and has vowed to clear his name but the issue of whether he can co-exist in the England dressing room alongside Rio Ferdinand remains the subject of debate.
However Ferguson believes on form and experience alone, Ferdinand should be part of the England squad.
"He has done fantastic this season," Ferguson said Thursday. "There was a period where I played him in three games in seven days from the end of January but apart from that it has been every seven days.
"He has coped very well and has had a fantastic season.
"I don't know if Roy's thinking about the situation because I haven't spoken to him but experience is going to be important in the European Championships.
"I think Phil Jones and Chris Smalling should go but they have not played a lot of football this season in terms of centre-back play, so you go back to what you are left with.
"You have John Terry and Rio Ferdinand and Gary Cahill. Then you have Jones and Smalling.
"There is not a lot after that."
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