According to the Daily Mail, Ashley Cole has launched a scathing attack at his critics, and claims that the football community want to see him lose his spot in Roy Hodgson’s England squad traveling to Brazil in a month’s time.

The England selectors will have their work cut out to pick the final 23 man squad, as there are multiple players in top form eying the same spot. As for the left back spot, Southampton’s Luke Shaw has been in spectacular form all season, and Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs will also give the selectors a reason for selection. Internationally, Cole is far more experienced than his competitors, but has hardly played as many games this season as his younger compatriots. Cole featured in Chelsea’s recent win against Liverpool at Anfield, but that was only his 15th league game of the season. He did feature in the Champions League semi-final in both the games vs Atletico Madrid, as the starting left-back and did not put a foot wrong in the first leg but was ignominously substituted for Samuel Eto’o in only the 53rd minute of the 2nd leg. After looking like the weakest player out there for Mourinho to replace and with Azpilicueta already on the field playing in a right wing role it was obvious that the ordinary looking Cole would be replaced with the Spaniard shifting to left back with Eto’o going up front.

Cole has been a loyal player for Chelsea in his career, and has represented the club on 227 occasions after his move from Arsenal. Under Jose Mourinho, Cole was part of the squad that achieved success before the Portuguese was sacked/left in 2007. The 33-year old has also made 107 appearances for the England national side ever since his debut in 2001.

Cole is still a class performer and if not the starter in Brazil for England then he certainly should be the back-up to Leighton Baines as he has not lost any pace and Shaw will have his time soon enough.