Ashley would welcome Rio's 3 Lions return

ASHLEY COLE is ready to share an England dressing room with Rio Ferdinand.

Chelsea full-back Cole believes the former pals can still play together — even though Ferdinand has fallen out with him over his support for Blues skipper John Terry.

Ferdinand, 33, is being touted for an international return alongside Cole for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.

But boss Roy Hodgson, reeling from Terry’s decision to quit international football, has not spoken to Rio since omitting him from his Euro 2012 squad.

Hodgson is reluctant to turn to the Manchester United centre-back.

However, Cole is sure his strained relationship with Ferdinand could be overcome if that was considered a stumbling block.

Cole appeared for Terry’s defence when he was cleared in court of racially abusing Rio’s brother Anton.

Then Ferdinand was fined £45,000 by the FA for re-tweeting a comment which described Cole as a ‘choc ice’ – a term claimed to mean white on the inside, black on the outside.

Cole wants to put the issue behind them, although he is again speaking up for Terry at his FA hearing this week.