England coach Roy Hodgson wanted Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard to delay his retirement, he has revealed.
Hodgson tried to persuade Lampard to change his mind about international retirement when the New York City midfielder joined Manchester City on loan - but says he understands why the midfielder decided to quit after 106 caps.
England face Norway at Wembley on Wednesday in their first game since their worst-ever World Cup campaign and next Monday are away to Switzerland in their first Euro 2016 qualifier.
Which is why England manager Hodgson asked Lampard to play on in a midfield which has also lost Steven Gerrard.
Hodgson said: "I spoke a lot with Steven Gerrard and Frank during the World Cup, especially with Frank to find out what he was doing. He actually confided with me at a fairly early opportunity that he was planning to go to New York and to start a new life over there.
"I immediately discussed how that will affect his England future, so when he then came back to Manchester City to do the period of time there, I immediately contacted him again and asked him: 'What are you thinking?'
"And really what he did was what Steven did and said: 'Look I don't want to turn my back on it. I've enjoyed it and I've enjoyed the work that we're doing. But there are issues that I have to consider and there are things for me to weigh up so I need a bit more time. I don't want to say no now, forget me, because if I can marry the things going on in my head I'd like to carry on'.
"It wasn't a shock but, as with Steven, there was hope."
