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Rodgers got it wrong, says Hodgson

Roy Hodgson wants to hold clear the air talks with Brendan Rodgers after the pair's conflict took another twist on Thursday.

Hodgson and Rodgers have endured a strained relationship ever since the Liverpool manager accused the England boss of exacerbating Daniel Sturridge's thigh injury by mis-handling the striker's recovery from September's international against Norway.

The pair clashed again last month over another Liverpool star with Rodgers annoyed at Hodgson for going public with the fact that Raheem Sterling asked to "sit out" England's Euro 2016 qualifier against Estonia.

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The saga took another bizarre turn on Thursday when Hodgson denied ever saying that Sterling had told him he did not want to take part in the game in Tallinn.

"I never said that Raheem said he was too tired to play," Hodgson said. "He did play. He came on and got us the free-kick which won the game.

"I said he said he was too tired before training and as a result I left him out of the team."

Regardless of what Hodgson did actually say, he was unhappy to hear Rodgers' version on national radio.

"In actual fact, Brendan is wrong to do that," Hodgson added. "Unfortunately I have 30 witnesses to that extent and Brendan was not there.

The ongoing saga of what Raheem Sterling told Roy Hodgson about his fatigue in Estonia continues to unravel © Getty Images

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"If that is all it is, he got the wrong end of the stick and I would be happy to put him right and I would be happy to talk to him about it."

Hodgson insisted he enjoyed a "fine" relationship with Rodgers. However, the Press Association reported Rodgers has not picked up the phone to speak to Hodgson despite several attempts on behalf of the England manager.

The pair have exchanged texts, but Rodgers again did not return Hodgson's call when he rang him on Wednesday night to inform the Liverpool manager he had left Sturridge out of his squad for the upcoming double-header against Slovenia and Scotland to help him recover from injury.

"I left a message for him only last night. Basically it was to tell him that I understood Daniel Sturridge was not fit and there was no need to call me back," Hodgson added. "It was just to let him know I understood Daniel Sturridge was not fit for these games, so in any questions I was going to get today then the answers I was going to give he would understand them and be happy with, hopefully."

The person Hodgson feels most sorry for is Sterling, who was criticised following the Estonia match.

"I feel very, very sad about that, about the way it blew up," Hodgson said. "But as far as I'm concerned it's passed. Raheem and I are fine, I think my relationship with Brendan is fine, though some are disputing that, but I feel our relationship is fine."

Hodgson is sure Sterling will be able to move on from the episode too.

"I think he will be stronger now," Hodgson said. "It's part and parcel of being a top player today. If you break into the team at 19 and everyone immediately says: 'You are fantastic, you are a wonder player.' Unfortunately, it won't take too long before people start doubting it in some way over something that happened.

"He is strong, he's a strong character, very strong."

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