ENGLAND coach Glenn Hoddle has urged the Football Association to move quickly and conclude Alan Shearer's disciplinary case before the World Cup. Hoddle broke his silence on the matter yesterday by appealing to his FA bosses to hold the hearing - at which the Newcastle striker will be asked to explain his controversial challenge on Leicester's Neil Lennon... as soon as possible. The England coach has no doubt that the incident in which Shearer appeared to kick Lennon in the face during last Wednesday's match at Filbert Street was an accident, and he clearly wants the matter resolved before his captain, and most important player, sets off for France. The last thing Hoddle needs is to go to the World Cup with his front-line goalscorer fretting over the outcome of an FA hearing, as seemed likely before his dramatic intervention. He said: ''I have spoken to Alan at length over recent days and have watched the incident on several occasions. As a result, I am 100% sure what happened was accidental. My personal opinion from the start has been that it was accidental. I don't accept Alan would deliberately intend to harm a fellow professional. ''As far as the England team is concerned, we hope the matter will be brought to a conclusion as soon as possible. Alan's reputation and record over many years have been impeccable and it's now time for events to run their course and for everyone who wants success in France to get off his back.'' The FA have announced that a commission would consider 'an alleged breach of the rules' by Shearer. ''Graham Kelly, the FA's chief executive, believes it is in the interests of the game that Alan Shearer receives the fullest opportunity to explain to a commission what happened and, if necessary, call witnesses on his behalf,'' an FA spokesman said. Shearer has 14 days to respond and, depending on his response, it will be decided when and how to proceed. The England striker seems certain to ask for a personal hearing because he is angry at the FA's handling of the case. He appeared in public yesterday to show off the new Newcastle away strip but would not be drawn on the great Lennon debate, preferring a polite 'no comment' when pressed by the media. He may now get his chance to speak sooner than he imagined.

INCE JOINS WRIGHT ON INJURY LIST   PAUL INCE is already paying the price for the tackle which almost wrecked best mate Ian Wright's World Cup hopes as a low-key end-of-season game ended in controversy. The Liverpool skipper infuriated Wright's Arsenal team-mates with the late, lunging tackle which left his great England pal writhing in agony; pain and fear etched on his face as he was stretchered from the Anfield pitch. Ironically, as Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger announced that Wright's injury (described as severe bruising) was not as bad as first feared and that he "could well be fit" to face Aston Villa on Sunday, Ince was left nursing his own wounds. So much so that, after a brief appearance at an Adidas-sponsored World Cup press conference at London's Waterloo station yesterday, Ince was on the next train back to Merseyside for treatment on a bruised ankle. His own set-back occurred moments after Wright had been stretchered off in Liverpool's 4-0 win, when he was caught by a late challenge by the Gunners' own no-nonsense midfielder Patrick Vieira. The ankle curtailed yesterday's public appearance - he said it was too painful for him to sit and chat to the nation's Press for a couple of hours. Ince was quick to apologise to Wright, making a bee-line for the away dressing room on Wednesday evening: "I didn't mean to do it, he's my best mate. I have been in to see him and he's okay." Gunners' chief Wenger exonerated the Liverpool skipper from blame, insisting that his challenge looked worse than it probably was: "I don't think it was a bad tackle, the ball was there to be won. The pair are good friends and I can't imagine Ince would give an injury to his best friend." Yesterday, the influential midfielder was more concerned about his own injury but did give a brief yet positive insight into England's World Cup hopes and ambitions. He said: The squad is in great nick. There's a terrific blend of youth and experience and we go to the World Cup full of confidence that we can do a good job against the best in the world. In fact we go with the honest belief that we can win the World Cup. What's the point in going with any other ideas?

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