Terry returns to action at West Ham on Saturday after sitting out England's double-header against Bulgaria and Switzerland with a hamstring injury, prompting inevitable questions over his commitment to the national side. But Ancelotti says he has encouraged Terry, who turns 30 in December, to be honest about his injuries rather than put his body on the line as he has done in the past. "Terry took the right decision with the national team," said the Italian. "He was not 100 per cent and there might have been a problem if he'd played for them. Together, they took the right decision. "He is a player with a strong character. He's generous. He loves to play for the shirt. "But, also, he has to be realistic. This is the first time he's had this kind of problem." Ancelotti is wary of injuries to the older players in his squad, with Ashley Cole also hitting 30 in December and Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda, Paulo Ferreira and Yossi Benayoun all into their fourth decade. And the manager is aware that Terry and the 30-somethings in his line-up cannot bounce back from knocks as easily as they did early on in their careers. "He's (Terry) 30 and he has to have more recovery time than when he was 25 or 26," added Ancelotti. "He needs to have more rest if he wants to stay at the top level for a long time. "I don't like a player who wants to play with injuries. A player has to say to me 'I'm not 100 per cent. You have to decide whether I play'. "The player has to say if he's got a problem or not. I'll make a decision. I can use them, a Drogba or Terry, if they're not 100 per cent, but I need to know."
