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The Football Association chairman insists the Chelsea
captain has not indicated he desires an international return, and wants
him to make his intentions clear
David Bernstein has confirmed that John Terry is yet to reveal his plans regarding a potential return to the England side.The Chelsea defender quit the national team last September following a lengthy disciplinary case set up by the Football Association regarding allegations he racially abused Anton Ferdinand. Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence in court, but was banned for four matches by the FA.
However, recent reports have suggested that Terry is ready to return to the England fold. Bernstein himself will be retiring at the end of this month - one of the reasons cited for Terry's potential international comeback - but the FA chairman insists he is yet to hear of a return.
"John Terry always takes his football seriously and therefore I took his retirement seriously. Until I hear to the contrary - he stays retired," Bernstein told reporters at the launch of Royal Mail's Football Heroes stamp collection at Wembley.
"He [Terry] has not announced he is coming out of retirement and if he did the decision will be down to the manager."
The rift between the pair is well known - Terry refused to shake the Bernstein's hand at a Champions League handover ceremony in London last month - but the 69-year-old will be replaced at the end of the month by former BBC director general Greg Dyke.
And before he departs from his role, Bernstein has made it clear that one of his priorities is to implement more stringent policies for racism.
"I'm hoping next week we will be announcing the first tranche of successes," he said. "Ours is a very detailed and thought-out proposal. It is not likely to be exactly in line with UEFA's.
"Ours will have a minimum but it will have a clear acceleration from that minimum. We may well yet go beyond the 10. It will be brought in."
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