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Friday,
30th June - World Cup Day 22
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Germany are the first nation to
reach the semi-finals, it took two hours of stalemate football and a
penalty shoot-out against Argentina. Germany will face Italy next
Tuesday after the azurri beat Ukraine 3-0. |
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Frank Lampard
will train with the England
squad today after recovering from a twisted ankle. The Chelsea
star had given England a World
Cup scare, suffering the injury yesterday. The midfielder suffered
a knock on his ankle in training. "I've spoken to Frank, he feels
fine and he expects to train," a Football Association spokesman said on
Friday. |
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Cristiano Ronaldo's
chances of playing against England appear slim after he missed a
training session on Friday. The Portugal winger has been receiving
treatment on a thigh injury he suffered against Netherlands. |
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Thursday,
29th June - World Cup Day 21
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
has launched a passionate defence of his World Cup management style.
Eriksson has been accused of lacking a clear gameplan and a consistent
selection policy, despite reaching the quarter-finals. He said:
"If we have only one system, you will ask me where is plan B? We
can use one or two systems - we have two at least - and don't tell me I
don't know what to do. I know exactly what to do. If we have two systems
you will ask me where is plan C? What do you want me to answer?... You
have always doubted me, so there is nothing new about that. I have a
clear vision, we all have, together with the coaches. Do you think
we just tell the players to go out and say 'good luck, do whatever you
want to do'? If it is right or wrong is another thing but it is
clear what we do every minute we are together. I know exactly what to
do... I believe very much in preparation for games. You make your
own fate and if you are very well prepared for games you have better
luck than if you are not well prepared." |
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Wayne Rooney is
desperate to break his World Cup scoring duck in the quarter-final
against Portugal - then begin a challenge for Ronaldo's record.
Brazil's Ronaldo beat German Gerd Muller's World Cup tally when he
scored his 15th goal in the win against Ghana. Rooney, 20, goes
into Saturday's tie having not yet scored in Germany but said: "I hope I
can do what Ronaldo has done for Brazil in my career. He has been
one of the best players over the last 10 years." |
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Wednesday,
28th June - World Cup Day 20
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
says he expects Gary Neville to be fit to play against Portugal on
Saturday. Neville took part in training today. "He seems to
be very good, he did everything and did not feel anything after the
training, so I think he will be OK for Saturday. His experience
might be very important to us in a game like this. If we think
it's a risk he won't play but as things stand it is not a risk."
Neville took part in a solo training session with England physio Gary
Lewin yesterday. |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
has insisted England are in
great shape to beat their Euro 2004 conquerors Portugal.
The England coach said his side
can avenge their penalty shoot-out defeat by the Portuguese and progress
to a semi-final against Brazil or France. "I strongly
believe we will win. We have a better squad this time than two
years ago. That's why I'm confident and the players are confident. "
Eriksson admitted he had decided on his formation for
the match in Gelsenkirchen, but would not reveal details about the
make-up of the team. He is confident of upstaging Luiz Scolari,
the former Brazil coach and current Portugal boss, who has masterminded
England's exit from the last two major tournaments at the quarter-final
stage. "I said a long time ago that England will do a good World
Cup. We are in the quarters - I think we can do better, play
better and I think we will stay for a long time yet. Before I
finish this job, I would like to go further than the quarter-finals, and
all the England fans deserve to see their team go further". |
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Deco says
England have under-performed at the World Cup - and insists his side can
progress to the semi-finals at their expense. "England are very
strong but they have not shown what they can do with the good players
they have. The important thing is that the national team can beat
England. It doesn't matter who plays in my place. I would pay to
see England play, but I would prefer to pay to watch Portugal."
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Portsmouth have
signed Chelsea defender Glen Johnson on a season-long loan. "This
is a great opportunity for me to play regular league football again and
force myself back into the England set-up. The club have big
ambitions and I'm looking forward to playing a part in them."
Pompey boss Harry Redknapp said he had long been an admirer of the
defender. "He is a top defender and will continue to get better,
so this is a real top quality capture for us. The lad has a great
future ahead of him. He is already an outstanding defender and the kind
of player most Premier League sides would give their right arm for."
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Portsmouth have
appointed Tony Adams as Harry Redknapp's assistant manager. Redknapp
said: "Tony can do a great job for us, he knows the game inside out and
I'm really looking forward to him working alongside me."
The role is Adams' first in the English top-flight
and the first time he will have worked under the former West Ham
manager. "Harry's a guy I respect and one I'd love to work with.
He obviously thinks a lot of me to approach me and I've got a lot of
admiration for him. The respect I've got for him is second to none, he's
a great man. I love the character he is. He seems really honest
and that's all I've ever wanted, to work for people who are like that." |
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Tuesday,
27th June - World Cup Day 19
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Brazil overcome
Ghana with relative ease, winning 3-0. France come back from a
goal down to beat Spain 3-1. Brazil will play France next Saturday
evening, the winners of which will face England or Portugal. |
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Monday,
26th June - World Cup Day 18
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Italy beat
Australia with a late injury time penalty. Ukraine win the first finals
penalty shootout, beating Switzerland 3-0 after a scoreless 120 minutes.
Italy will play Ukraine on Friday evening. |
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Gary Neville
should be fit for England's quarter-final with Portugal after struggling
with a calf injury, says assistant manager Steve McClaren. "He's
recovering well, should train on Tuesday and definitely on Wednesday.
He needs a few days' training and hopefully he'll be in contention for
Saturday's game."
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Luis Figo can
play in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against England after Fifa
ruled out further action for a headbutt on Netherland's Mark van Bommel.
The Portuguese skipper was booked and because referee Valentin Ivanov
took action, Fifa will not intervene. Fifa communications director
Markus Siegler said: "He was sanctioned immediately by the referee at
the time. The referee's report is being analysed but it is very
unlikely anything will happen as he has been sanctioned." Van
Bommel said: "Figo headbutted me and that is not a yellow card. I blame
the referee, it was a clear red card." But Siegler said: "It is
only where there is a clear disciplinary issue, which has not been acted
upon by the referee, that the disciplinary committee can look at it."
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari defended Figo. "Jesus said we
should turn the other cheek, unfortunately, Figo is not Jesus Christ."
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Michael Owen
will travel to America to see top knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman.
The 26-year-old Newcastle United frontman ruptured his cruciate ligament
and is expected to be sidelined until 2007. He will visit the
Colorado clinic of Dr Steadman, who helped save the career of former
Magpies striker Alan Shearer. "Michael and club medical staff will
travel to America in the next few weeks," said a Newcastle spokesman. |
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Glen Johnson is
close to a loan move to Feyenoord, according to one of the Dutch club's
directors. The 21-year-old has visited their De Kuip stadium to
look at the facilities and meet head coach Erwin Koeman. "The
player was deeply impressed by the stadium. He looked around the locker
rooms and visited the city. He has spoken with coach Erwin Koeman,
who came back to Rotterdam from his holiday home specially to meet him." |
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Sunday,
25th June - World Cup Day 17
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England beat Ecuador 1-0 with a
trademark David Beckham free-kick. Portugal and Netherlands play
out a stormy affair that included 16 yellow cards and four red cards.
Portugal won 1-0 to meet England next weekend. |
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Saturday,
24th June - World Cup Day 16
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Germany seal a quarter-final berth
following their 2-0 victory over Sweden. Argentina need extra time
to squeeze past Mexico in a 2-1 win. |
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Rio Ferdinand
has been passed fit to play in tomorrows second-round tie with Ecuador.
Ferdinand has shrugged off a groin injury and will take his place in a
likely 4-1-4-1 formation, with Michael Carrick just in front of the
defence. Owen Hargreaves will replace Jamie Carragher at
right-back for the 4 o'clock kick-off, which is likely to be played in
35 degree heat. Ecuador are at full strength after resting key
players against Germany. |
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Gary Neville
has suffered a setback in his hopes of returning to full fitness at the
World Cup finals in Germany. The 31-year-old was hoping to return
from a calf problem for the quarter-finals, providing England progress
past Ecuador. Today, Sven-Göran Eriksson said: "He worked
yesterday out on the pitch but felt it this morning. So it is one
step backwards for him unfortunately." |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
has described England's game against Ecuador as "life or death".
Defeat would mean a disappointing end to Eriksson's reign as coach of
England, who finished top of Group B despite not firing on all
cylinders. "We will need courage. It's life or death now. You
either stay in or go back to England - that's why we need to be
courageous. Ecuador are a very good team - they are physically
very strong."
Eriksson said he has been studying videos of Ecuador
"day and night" and the Swede is confident England can avoid an upset.
"I think we will win. It's a football match, 90 minutes and you never
know. But I think and strongly believe we will go through. I don't
know if it will be embarrassing if we lose. It's always bad to lose.
I've not thought about it being my last game - I've never even dreamt of
that. |
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Friday,
23rd June - World Cup Day 15
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Group Matches finish today with
Spain beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 and Ukraine beating Tunisia 1-0 in Group
H. France beat Togo 2-0 to progress into the knock-out stages,
while Switzerland topped the group following a 2-0 victory over South
Korea, to end the league proceedings. |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
is considering giving Michael Carrick his first World Cup finals
appearance. It is
understood Eriksson may switch to a 4-5-1 system for the Ecuador game,
with Wayne Rooney on his own up front. Carrick is expected to come
in for Owen Hargreaves, who will move to right-back with Jamie Carragher
left out. Rio Ferdinand is still a doubt because of the groin
injury which took him out of the Sweden game, so Sol Campbell stands by
to replace him. |
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Steve McClaren
would welcome Alan Shearer's involvement in his coaching set-up when he
takes over as England boss. The Football Association refused
to comment directly on the reports linking Shearer to a role. "Any
plans Steve McClaren may or may not have will not be discussed publicly
until after the World Cup. Sven is the current England manager and
our full focus of attention is with him at the moment." Shearer is
in the process of obtaining his Uefa coaching qualifications, but has
completed only the first of the three standards. It is also
understood that the role with England could effectively be part-time.
David Beckham said: "Alan was a great player to play with and a great
person. He's very passionate and one of the best goalscorers I've
ever played in the same team as. But it's only rumours at the
moment." |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
insists he would drop captain David Beckham if the Real Madrid
midfielder did not merit a place in the team. Since the Swede took
over in 2001, Beckham, 31, has played every tournament match despite
criticism over some of his performances. "I have taken David
Beckham off before. I will do it again if I think he's not doing
the job. He doesn't have any favours just because he's the
captain. He is treated the same as all the other players in every
way - at the dinner table, on the bus, tactically, in training, in a
match. I'm prepared to do whatever I need to do if I see things
are going wrong. I will do whatever is required." |
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Thursday,
22nd June - World Cup Day 14
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Italy secure top spot with a 2-0
win over Czech Republic. The Czech's are eliminated after Ghana
beat the USA 2-1. Brazil thrash Japan 4-1, and Australia draw with
Croatia to ensure their first ever participation in the knock-out
stages. |
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Gary Neville
trained for the first time today in a bid to prove his fitness ahead of
Sunday's knockout game against Ecuador. Neville, 31, has missed
England's last two games with a calf injury and is unlikely to recover
in time to figure. He joined his team-mates at the Buhlertal
training ground and had a light session with physio Gary Lewin.
Rio Ferdinand sat out the session with his groin problem but he is
expected to be fit to feature against Ecuador.
Neville will be replaced by Jamie Carragher if he
fails to recover, while Sol Campbell is standing by if Ferdinand suffers
another setback. Meanwhile, Eriksson must decide whether to stick
to his favoured 4-4-2 formation or play with only Wayne Rooney up front.
If he plays two strikers Peter Crouch will get the nod but if he goes
for a 4-5-1 decision he may use Steven Gerrard in an advanced position
to support Rooney. Ecuador will be at full strength after coach
Luis Suarez rested several of his players for the 3-0 defeat at the
hands of Germany. Agustin Delgado and Carlos Tenorio, who have
both scored twice in the World Cup, will start up front. |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
has defended his decision to bring just four strikers to the World Cup
and insists he has "no regrets" over his squad. England have just
three recognised front men, Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch and the, as yet,
untested Theo Walcott after Michael Owen flew home. "I don't
regret my squad selections because I think we're covered very well.
I'm sure I've picked the best squad - I'm not worried about the
situation." Asked if Walcott could play a substantial role in
Germany, Eriksson said: "I hope so, yes. It was very difficult to
give Walcott a go in the last match because two of the three
substitutions were injuries and the third was Wayne Rooney. I
didn't want to put Walcott into that game. I'm not sure it was right and
I wanted Steven Gerrard in there." |
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Michael Owen
has vowed to return to Germany to collect his World Cup winners' medal.
The Newcastle United forward is remaining positive about England's
chances of lifting the trophy in his absence. "My tournament might
be over, but I still want that medal around my neck. I told
Sven-Göran Eriksson that I would be back out for the World Cup final.
It is strange to think that my farewell was the last I might see of
Sven, a manager who has picked me whenever I have been available and for
whom I have scored a lot of goals. But I haven't given up hope of
seeing him again on July 9." |
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Wednesday,
21st June - World Cup Day 13
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Portugal
begin the day with a 2-1 win against Mexico, alongside Iran's 1-1 draw
with Angola. Argentina had a scoreless draw with The
Netherlands to take top spot, as Serbia lost 3-2 to Ivory
Coast. |
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Michael Owen is
out of the World Cup and flying back to England after rupturing his
anterior cruciate knee ligament in the 2-2 draw with Sweden. A
scan today confirmed the worst fears about Owen's injury following his
dramatic collapse early in the match. "Obviously it's a massive
blow. As soon as it happened I knew I was in trouble."
Eriksson said: "I'm sorry for him. But we have many players who can take
that second striker role. We have Theo Walcott, who we haven't
seen yet, we have the players in the squad who can play second striker
such as Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard and Aaron Lennon can do it too.
I'm not that worried about it. We don't want any more injuries on
strikers but I'm not worried." |
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Rio Ferdinand
is expected to be fit to face Ecuador on Sunday after getting the
all-clear on a groin injury. The England centre-half was forced to
limp out of the draw against Sweden and had to be replaced by Sol
Campbell. But a scan has shown there is no problem and Ferdinand
should return for the second round game in Stuttgart. An FA
spokesman said: "The scan was clear. Rio will continue to be assessed by
the medical staff on a daily basis ahead of Sunday's match with
Ecuador."
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Gary Neville
has received positive news on
his calf injury after another scan
today. The 31-year-old's injury has
shown "significant improvement" but it is not yet known whether he will
be fit enough to play again in the World Cup. An FA spokesman
said: "The calf injury which has kept him out of the past two games
showed significant improvement. Gary will continue his rehab on
Thursday with field work under the supervision of physio Gary Lewin." |
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Paul Robinson
was pleased England got the
point they needed to top Group B but admitted the draw with Sweden
highlighted defensive frailties.
Robinson believes the team now need to work
on set-pieces after the Swedes grabbed two goals in Cologne.
"We've conceded two goals from set-pieces. We do work a lot on those and
we have to look at it. We will look at the goals because we didn't
defend particularly well. But we have a few days to put it right." |
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Tuesday,
20th June - World Cup Day 12
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England keep
top spot after drawing with Sweden 2-2. They lose Michael Owen and
Rio Ferdinand in the process. Paraguay beat Trinidad 2-0, ensuring
England and Sweden's progress into the second round. Elsewhere,
Germany beat Ecuador 3-0 to keep top spot, with Ecuador as runners-up.
Poland finish their World Cup with a 2-1 win over Costa Rica. |
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Monday,
19th June - World Cup Day 11
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Switzerland
beat Togo 2-0 to top Group G. Ukraine beat Saudi Arabia 4-0.
Spain to beat Tunisia 3-1. |
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Gary Neville
will miss their Group B tie with Sweden tomorrow due to his calf injury.
Neville, 31, sat out the win against Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday and
has still not returned to training. Sven-Göran Eriksson will rest
Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch as they are one booking away from a ban,
with Wayne Rooney and Owen Hargreaves starting. Sweden seem
certain to be without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has a groin problem, so
Marcus Allback will start. |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
says he is looking for big performances from strikers Michael Owen and
Wayne Rooney tomorrow night. Owen has not scored in two games and
has been taken off in both while Rooney is looking to gain match
fitness. "I expect Owen and Rooney to play like they used to, in
the golden days. They always play well. I hope that Michael
can play better and better and Wayne is very important for us, everybody
knows that. I suppose it will be easier for Michael against
Sweden. His partner is Rooney so he can stay up front more and
Wayne can be the linking player between him and the midfield. All
strikers need goals, the confidence of a striker when they score is
right up there and it's the opposite when they don't. But as for
Rooney, I'm not concerned by him anymore. If I said he concerned me,
people would think I was crazy. All of us in the camp wanted to
see him play in the last game and we want to see him for longer now,
that's clear. He did well in the last game, in training he is fit,
he can do more than 45 minutes and that's why we're going to play him
from the start. He has been out for a long time, don't forget. But very,
very soon he will be at 100% fitness." |
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Sunday,
18th June - World Cup Day 10
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Japan draw 0-0 with Croatia,
meaning they must beat Brazil in the final group match to progress.
Meanwhile, Brazil beat Australia 2-0. France draw again, this time
with South Korea 1-1, victory against Togo is essential for progression. |
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Wayne Rooney
will start England's World Cup game against Sweden in Cologne.
Rooney is poised to partner Michael Owen in attack, with Peter Crouch,
who is one booking away from a ban, rested. Rooney played 33
minutes as a substitute against Trinidad and Tobago and showed no
ill-effects after his broken metatarsal injury. "The medical
people say he can play more than 45 minutes, so if that is the case it
is better he starts the game." Eriksson is almost certain to draft
Owen Hargreaves into a holding midfield role on Tuesday, with Steven
Gerrard also rested. Gerrard would be suspended for the last 16
clash with either Ecuador or Germany if he was booked, and Eriksson is
keen to ensure he is available for the knockout rounds. Frank
Lampard is also on a yellow card, but the Chelsea midfielder is expected
to play against Sweden. |
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Saturday,
17th June - World Cup Day 9
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Portugal beat
Iran 2-0 to qualify for the next stage for the first time in 40 years.
Ghana shock Czech Republic with a shock 2-0 victory to enhance their
hopes for progression. USA hold Italy to a 1-1 draw with 9 men
against Italy's 10 men. |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
is poised to break up Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard's partnership to
ensure they play in the World Cup's last 16. Lampard and Gerrard,
as well as Peter Crouch, face Sweden only a booking away from a
suspension. "If we had to win to go through I would probably risk
all three, but we don't need to do that." Gerrard is thought most
likely to be rested in midfield, while Wayne Rooney could start ahead of
Crouch.
Owen Hargreaves is favourite to take Gerrard's place
after figuring alongside Lampard for part of Saturday's training
session, but Michael Carrick is also a contender. "There are three
players booked and maybe I will leave one out. I don't want to
leave all three out - maybe one or two." Eriksson is tempted to
play Rooney from the start after he came through a 33-minute appearance
as a substitute against Trinidad and Tobago with no ill-effects after
his broken foot. "He looks fine. I spoke to him and the physios
and there were no reactions after the match. His words were that
he's ready to play 90 minutes today. I'm thinking about it but I haven't
decided. "I would like to start him but I will ask opinions from
doctors and physios, and it is important to look at him in training
before making that decision. If he's going to start the game then
people must convince me he's going to play at least one hour. If
he can only play 45 minutes for example, it's better for him to come on
in the second half. He has been telling me he's fit and ready for
the last three weeks. England are a different team with Rooney.
He's fantastic. He is perfect in everything when he is 100%, but,
as a linking player, he keeps the ball up there and gives the team time
to come out. He gives us more combinations in the last third.
Michael Owen and Wayne is one option but I know they lack games. You
would be starting with two who might not reach 90 minutes. It's
tempting to do it anyhow but I haven't decided yet."
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John Barnes is
being considered for a coaching position with Jamaica. The
43-year-old was born in Jamaica but moved to Britain as a teenager and
enjoyed a highly successful career with Watford, Liverpool and Newcastle
United. He had an eight-month stint as coach of Scottish giants
Celtic in 1999/2000. Jamaica Federation president Crenston Boxhill
said: "We are talking with several people to upgrade the technical
aspect and John is one of them." |
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Friday,
16th June - World Cup Day 8
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Argentina
thrash Serbia & Montenegro 6-0 to progress to the next stage.
Netherlands beat Ivory Coast 2-1 and Mexico played out a scoreless draw
with Angola. |
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic
is doubtful for the final Group B match with England because of a groin
strain. The Juventus forward played only 45 minutes of Thursday's
1-0 win over Paraguay and will undergo tests and a scan to determine
whether he can play. Doctor Anders Valentin said: "Of course we're
worried about the next game. Zlatan felt some pain in the left
groin during the warm-up and in the game the pain increased, so we
decided to take him off at half-time." |
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Michael Owen
accepts he could be left out of the starting line-up for the final World
Cup group game against Sweden. The 26-year-old was substituted
early in the second half after another below-par performance. "I'm
not worried. If I'm sat on the bench, I'm sat on the bench. I've been on
the bench in my career before. If the manager thinks it is the
right thing, he'll do it. That's football." |
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Frank Lampard
has revealed England's delight at having Wayne Rooney back to boost
their World Cup bid. Rooney played for 33 minutes in England's
unconvincing 2-0 triumph over Trinidad and Tobago in Nuremberg.
"It was a great feeling to have him back. It was special to see him
playing with us. He gave the fans and the team a real boost
because of the player he is. He will get better and better now and be an
important player for us in Germany." |
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Thursday,
15th June - World Cup Day 7
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England beat
Trinidad & Tobago with two late goals by Crouch and Gerrard.
Earlier, Ecuador beat Costa Rica 3-0 to qualify for the second round at
the expense of Poland. |
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Wayne Rooney is
set to be examined by independent medical experts as England boss
Sven-Göran Eriksson prepares to thrust him into the World Cup.
Professor Angus Wallace flew to Germany with his assistant yesterday to
examine the Manchester United striker. Eriksson says Rooney, 20,
is match fit but will let Wallace give a verdict on the striker's foot
ahead of tonight's game against Trinidad and Tobago. Professor
Wallace arrived with professor Chris Moran from the Queen's Medical
Centre in Nottingham and said: "I am going to speak with England.
There will be a report on Thursday afternoon and maybe an announcement
afterwards." |
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Wednesday,
14th June - World Cup Day 6
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Spain thrash
the Ukraine 4-0 and Tunisia draw 2-2 with Saudi Arabia to complete the
first set of matches. Germany beat Poland with a single late goal
to begin the second set. |
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Sven-Göran Eriksson
has revealed striker Wayne Rooney is "match fit" ahead of Thursday's
World Cup match against Trinidad and Tobago. Eriksson said Rooney
will not start the match, but had yet to decide whether the 20-year-old
will play some part. Meanwhile, Rooney's Manchester United
team-mate Gary Neville looks set to be ruled out of the Group B game.
Eriksson said the full-back was highly doubtful after pulling out of a
training session with a calf strain. |
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England flew to
Nuremberg today to continue preparations for the World Cup clash with
Trinidad and Tobago. They trained at the Franken-Stadion and
Sven-Göran Eriksson then held a news briefing. Eriksson is
expected to name the same starting line-up that beat Paraguay 1-0 in
their opener, with Michael Owen alongside Peter Crouch in attack.
But Wayne Rooney could still play some part in Thursday's game as a
substitute after recovering from a broken foot.
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Tuesday,
13th June - World Cup Day 5
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Holders Brazil kicked-off their
defence of the World title
with a 1-0 win over Croatia. Elsewhere, France drew 0-0 with
Switzerland and South Korea come from behind to beat Togo 2-1. |
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Peter Taylor
has been unveiled as the new manager of
Crystal Palace after ending his three-and-a-half year tenure at Hull
City. The England
under-21 coach, 53, was given permission to speak to the Eagles by Hull
last week. "I'm looking forward to the challenge and getting
promotion to the Premiership. The Championship is a hard division
but if you look at Crystal Palace we have very good players." |
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Monday,
12th June - World Cup Day 4
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Australia start
their first World Cup campaign for 32 years with a 3-1 win over Japan.
Czech Republic then beat USA 3-0, followed by a 2-0 for Italy over
Ghana. |
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Wayne Rooney
may make a shock World Cup debut for England against Trinidad and Tobago
on Thursday. Eriksson has not ruled out the possibility of Rooney
making a return to action in the match. "I'm very optimistic,
always. I'm born like that. We have to decide that day by day, to be
honest," he said. |
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Theo Walcott
has given Sven-Göran Eriksson a minor injury scare. Arsenal's
17-year-old striker suffered a slight calf injury during a training
session on Sunday. But he is expected to resume work again ahead
of Thursday's match with Trinidad and Tobago. Eriksson will not
want any further injury worries with Michael Owen still short of match
practice and Wayne Rooney on the comeback trail.
Walcott was an unused substitute in the win against
Paraguay in Frankfurt. |
|
 |
The first strips of turf
are being laid at Wembley, moving the £757m stadium beset by delays and
complications a step closer to completion. It will take around a
week to lay the pitch, which has been grown at a secret location during
construction. Michael Cunnah, chief executive of Wembley Stadium,
said the turf going down was a "significant milestone" in the venue's
progress. The venue is not likely to be finished until September
at the earliest.
"This new pitch will provide the stage for many great
events to come and will be the place where new memories will be
created." Stadium grounds manager Steve Welch said a lot of energy
and planning had gone into ensuring that the pitch at Wembley was second
to none - from the quality of the pitch construction and the turf, to
the design of the stadium bowl. |
|
Sunday,
11th June - World Cup Day 3
|
|
|
Mexico begin the days proceedings
with a 3-1 win over Iran. Netherlands then beat Serbia &
Montenegro in the Group D opener, followed by Portugal's 1-0 win over
Angola. |
|
|
England officials
will ask Fifa to ensure players get greater access to fluids during
games after they suffered in the Frankfurt heat against Paraguay.
Players lost an average of between five and 10lbs and drank huge amounts
of water. But there were times when England staff had difficulty
getting water on. FA spokesman Adrian Bevington said: "We will
make a communication to Fifa, certainly not a complaint, because the
medical staff were concerned. We went through 70 litres of water
when normally we go through something in the region of 20. That
shows how much fluid was required and it is important the players can
access it as soon as possible. It is also important referees take
this into account when you are playing in such severe heat. If
there is a break in play, maybe a goal kick or a throw-in, then
hopefully referees can take an extra second or two to let the players
take some fluids on board." |
|
Fifa has
confirmed that England's goal against Paraguay will go down as a Carlos
Gamarra own goal. The Paraguay captain headed a David Beckham
free-kick into his own net after three minutes. Gamarra said he
thought his touch was minimal and did not change the ball's direction
but Fifa's technical study group ruled the contact was decisive.
|
|
|
Tony Adams is in talks to become
assistant manager at Portsmouth. The former Arsenal and England
captain, 39, has already had an interview to be Harry Redknapp's new
number two. Redknapp said: "I met with Tony on Friday, we will
wait to see how things develop. He has got a lot to offer."
Adams retired as a player in 2002 and was appointed
as boss of Wycombe in November 2003. He lasted 12 months at Adams
Park before resigning for personal reasons. Adams took up a
coaching role at Feyenoord last summer, working with their youth team,
and then had a brief spell as a trainee coach with Utrecht.
|
|
Saturday,
10th June - World Cup Day 2
|
|
|
England kick-off their 2006 World Cup
Finals campaign with a 1-0 win over Paraguay. A David Beckham
free-kick allows Carlos Gamarra to flick into his own net. In the second Group
B match of the night, Trinidad & Tobago hold Sweden to a goalless draw.
England end the evening topping Group B. Group C gets underway
with an Argentinean victory over Ivory Coast. |
|
Friday,
9th June - World Cup Day 1
|
|
|
Germany kick-off the 2006 World Cup
Finals with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica. Miroslav Klose scores 2, as
does Paulo Wanchope. In the second Group A match of the night,
Poland are beaten by Ecuador 2-0. |
|
  |
Manchester United
have had a £10m bid for midfielder Michael Carrick rejected by Tottenham
Hotspur. Spurs dismissed the offer, insisting United would have to
double their offer to land the 24-year-old, who is part of the England
squad at the World Cup. Manchester United faxed their offer to
Tottenham today, but it was swiftly turned down. Carrick's agent,
David Giess, declined to comment. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
wants Carrick as a replacement for Roy Keane who left the club last
December. |
|
|
Steven Gerrard
is expected to be fit for England's World Cup opener against Paraguay.
|
|
Sven-Göran Eriksson
is ready to risk the wrath of Sir Alex Ferguson and plunge Wayne Rooney
into the World Cup group stages. The 20-year-old will play no part in
Saturday's opener against Paraguay. But it is understood Eriksson
has not ruled out Rooney playing against Trinidad and Tobago or Sweden
if he feels he is fit. Such a move may infuriate Ferguson, with
England and the Manchester United boss at odds over Rooney's recovery. |
|
Jermain Defoe's
World Cup dream has ended after the Spurs striker flew back to England
on this afternoon. Defoe, the only stand-by player to fly out to
Germany, returned home after Sven-Göran Eriksson's first-team squad left
for Frankfurt on Friday morning. Eriksson invited Defoe to stay
with the England squad but the striker chose instead to fly home to
England. The 23-year-old had been with the squad for a month but
Wayne Rooney's return signalled the end of Defoe's chances. |
|
 |
Stuart Pearce
says he is trying to bring Shaun Wright-Phillips back to the club on
loan - but admits the chances are slim. Wright-Phillips, 24,
joined Chelsea for £21m in July 2005 but struggled to establish himself
in Jose Mourinho's side last term. "It is true we have enquired
about a loan deal but I do think it is a long shot, I would love to have
him return but we cannot afford to buy him." |
|
 |
Lee Bowyer has
signed for West Ham United for the second time in his career. The
29-year-old, capped once by England, had a six-month spell with the
Hammers in 2003 before moving to Newcastle United. "I am desperate
to do well for West Ham. I loved my time at Newcastle but this is
my club. I didn't play well last time. I had a bad ankle
injury. I see this as unfinished business." |
|
Thursday, 8th
June
|
|
|
Steven Gerrard
gave England an injury scare ahead of their World Cup opener against
Paraguay by declaring himself only "50-50" to feature in Frankfurt.
"I've got a good chance but, right now, it's 50-50. The back has
been a bit of a problem over the last couple of days. I got a
knock on my hip and it's just made my back go into spasm a bit.
Overall, I've got a good chance of playing, I've just got to keep
working on it. If it keeps improving the way it has done over the past
24 hours I'll be there." |
|
Wayne Rooney is
"injury free" and will be able to play at the World Cup as soon as he is
match fit. The 20-year-old returned to England's camp late last
night after a scan on his broken foot in Manchester. Rooney
attended England training today ahead of the opening World Cup game
against Paraguay on Saturday. "I'm doing this in the best
interests of Rooney, the England team and 40 million England fans.
The good news from Wednesday evening and today is that Rooney has no
more injury. He's injury free. Now, it's up to us to get him match
fit and, when we think he's match fit, I'm prepared to take in any
specialist we want to take in, or Manchester United want us to take in."
said Sven-Göran Eriksson. |
|
Wayne Rooney
and Steven Gerrard both kicked off
training as England's preparations ahead of their World Cup opener
against Paraguay gathered pace.
A back strain kept Gerrard out of the
session yesterday, while Rooney was expected to train with the physio
again as his rehabilitation continues. However, both took a full
part in the opening warm-up exercises today. Stand-by striker
Jermain Defoe also took part, but he may have to return home when the
squad is confirmed.
Midfielder Gerrard revealed afterwards that he
expects to be fully fit for the game against Paraguay. |
|
 |
Nigel Martyn
has been forced to retire from the game because of a persistent ankle
injury. The 39-year-old former England international has been
sidelined since January with a stress fracture. Martyn, whose
current deal was set to expire at the end of June, underwent a scan
yesterday, which revealed that the bone had not healed sufficiently.
"I've loved every minute of my time at Everton and have a lot to be
thankful for. I had a follow-up CT scan to see if the crack in the bone
had healed but it clearly showed no healing. It means I will have to
have another operation to pin the bones back together. I had to
get on the phone to the manager after making the decision. It was a
decision based on being able to live a normal sort of life afterwards -
that was the primary concern because it is a nasty bone to have a
problem in" Martyn would have been offered fresh terms at Goodison
Park if the scan had shown a positive outcome. His last display
for Everton came in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Chelsea on 28
January and it was his 100th appearance for the club. |
|
Wednesday, 7th
June
|
|
|
Wayne Rooney
has been included in the World Cup squad. Rooney appears to have
won the race to prove his fitness after breaking a metatarsal in his
right foot while playing for Manchester United in April. He had
earlier spent two hours at a Manchester clinic while doctors studied the
results of today's scan. It is also thought that an independent
consultant from Fifa was on hand should there have been any conflict
between Rooney's club and the FA - and it was reported that United
lawyers were in attendance. |
|
Steven Gerrard
did not train again with the squad today because of the back problem
that forced him out of Tuesday's session. The 26-year-old has a
stiff back, but officials are confident he will be fit for Saturday's
opener against Paraguay. An FA spokesman said: "Steven not
training is purely precautionary and we expect him to be ready for
Saturday." Gerrard and Wayne Rooney were the only absentees from
the session.
David Beckham, Ashley Cole, John Terry and Gary
Neville all continued in full training after making their return from
niggling injuries yesterday. In stark contrast to Tuesday's
session, which was watched by hundreds of German schoolchildren, England
enjoyed a private session, with television cameras only allowed into the
opening warm-up exercises. Terry, who caused a slight scare on
Tuesday after going down heavily after a challenge from Chelsea
team-mate Wayne Bridge, looked comfortable as he and the squad went
through a series of stretching exercises. |
|
Paul Robinson
has criticised the unpredictable nature of the new World Cup match ball.
The Tottenham stopper, 26, has been practising with the lighter ball in
England training ahead of Saturday's Group B opener against Paraguay.
And he warns the balls will give strikers the upper hand in Germany as
they are "very goalkeeper unfriendly". "It's more like a
water-polo or volleyball. It's very light and moves so much in the
air... I had the foresight that the ball wasn't going to be what we're
used to, so with four or five weeks to go I got my agent to get me half
a dozen of them. I mixed them in with the training balls at Spurs,
and for the last five weeks of the season I've been training with them.
When the ball gets wet it's even worse. It's as if the new ball has a
plastic casing around it. It doesn't even have to be a shot from
Ronaldinho or Roberto Carlos; the ball will be moving about all over the
place." |
|
|
Martin O'Neill
has revealed he would have accepted the England manager's job had the FA
offered it to him. The Northern Irishman was overlooked after
being interviewed for the job. He said: "It is one of the great
jobs in football. Had it been offered, then I would have been absolutely
foolish to turn it down. But I didn't get the job. I have no
recriminations and it's over." |
|
 |
Sven-Göran Eriksson
will wait until after the World Cup before deciding if he wants to be
considered for the Real Madrid coach's role, says his agent.
Arturo Baldasano claimed if he wins the Real presidential election on 2
July he will bring in the England coach. Athole Still said "We've
had approaches from people associated with candidates in the Real
elections. Sven would be honoured to coach Real. But right now his
focus is on England."
Baldasano claims the Swede had given his word to take
the reins at the Bernabeu. "My team have spoken with Eriksson and
he has given a commitment that if I win the election he will come and
coach the team. He's an important coach with the right kind of
characteristics to do well." |
|
 |
Steve Gibson, the
Middlesbrough chairman, has given a strong
hint that he will install Gareth Southgate as the club's manager, and
has defended the decision. Southgate, 35, does not have a Uefa 'A'
coaching licence, leading to criticism from the League Managers'
Association. Gibson said: "The reason we have fast-tracked Gareth
is because we let our previous manager, Steve McClaren, become the new
England coach. Surely now, we shouldn't be denied for bureaucratic
reasons?"
Boro have called a media conference for 1400 BST
today when Boro defender Southgate is expected to be named as boss.
Premiership managers are expected to possess the Uefa Pro Licence for
coaching - the qualification above the Uefa 'A' Licence - before taking
charge of a club. Southgate, who has made more than 600
appearances as a professional, is yet to complete the necessary courses
because he is still playing regularly. |
|
Tuesday, 6th
June
|
|
|
Sven-Göran Eriksson
remains confident striker Wayne Rooney will be involved in the World
Cup. The 20-year-old has
stepped up his training after a broken foot but will discover the extent
of his progress after tomorrow's scan in Manchester. "I think he
looks very good - but let the surgeons and the specialists have their
say tomorrow. Very soon we will know what is going to happen about
him but I have always said I think he will be ready." |
|
Monday, 5th
June
|
|
|
England's footballers
have arrived at their luxurious hotel base in Germany for the World Cup
finals. British Airways flight BA9200C from Luton touched down at
1700 BST and the players were taken to the Schlosshotel Buhlerhohe near
Baden-Baden. Wayne Rooney travelled with the squad on the plane
renamed Pride of the Nation, but he returns to Manchester on Wednesday
for a scan on his metatarsal. |
|
David Beckham
missed England's final training session on home soil before the World
Cup squad left for Germany. The England captain picked up an ankle
injury during Saturday's 6-0 warm-up win over Jamaica and took no part
in this morning's session. John Terry and Ashley Cole, who picked
up knee and thigh injuries respectively against Jamaica, also sat out
training. Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney both trained with the
physios and the former will restart full training on Tuesday.
The Football Association's director of communications
Adrian Bevington said: "Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney were working with
the physios during the session. Gary is expected to train tomorrow
while Wayne will continue with the rehabilitation of his foot with
England's medical team. John Terry, Ashley Cole and David Beckham,
who had a kick on his right ankle on Saturday, did not train. This
was purely precautionary with all three players. Sven-Göran Eriksson
fully expects all three to be training this week and available for
Saturday's opener against Paraguay." |
|
 |
John Gorman has
been named as the manager of Northampton Town. The former England
assistant manager has signed a two-year contract. |
|
Sunday, 4th
June
|
|
|
Jermain Defoe
will fly out with the England squad to Germany tomorrow.
Sven-Göran Eriksson has maintained his belief that Wayne Rooney will
play at the World Cup, but the injured forward is waiting on the outcome
of a scan on Wednesday. "Defoe goes with us to Germany because we
have to be insured about Wayne Rooney," Eriksson said. Defoe was
preferred to Everton forward Andy Johnson for a place on the plane.
Eriksson added: "Obviously, everybody thinks he will come back from
Manchester on Wednesday evening and that's what I think. I have no
doubts about it - but I can't be sure, of course, until the scan is
done." |
|
Ashley Cole and John Terry
are expected to be fit for England's World Cup opener on 10 June.
Both players came off in the 6-0 friendly win over Jamaica in England's
final World Cup warm-up game ahead of next Saturday's match against
Paraguay. Left-back Cole was worried over a thigh injury, but a
scan revealed there had been no damage to the muscle. Terry came
off with a knee problem, but coach Sven-Göran Eriksson is confident the
central defender will be fit.
Right-back Gary Neville missed the Jamaica game with
a hamstring injury but will return to training on Monday and is expected
to play against Paraguay. |
|
Saturday, 3rd
June
|
|
|
England 6 Jamaica 0:
A Peter Crouch hat-trick rounded off
England's World Cup preparations in style with an easy win over Jamaica.
Frank Lampard swept England
into an early lead, which was doubled by Jermaine Taylor's own goal.
Crouch scored England's third from a set-piece, before Michael Owen
rounded keeper Donovan Ricketts to make it 4-0. After tapping in
the fifth from Jamie Carragher's cross, Crouch blazed a late penalty
over the bar but completed his hat-trick from Owen's pass. |
|
Eriksson has
named which players he will rely on to take penalties should his side
face a World Cup shootout in Germany. Eriksson has picked Frank
Lampard, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard as his first
four choices. The Swede would then turn to Ashley Cole, Owen
Hargreaves and John Terry. "If we reach the final, statistically
we will have at least one shootout. So you start with those who
take penalties for their clubs. We have been practising now and
then. We also have goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who is very, very
good at stopping them." |
|
Friday, 2nd
June
|
|
|
Wayne Rooney
has stepped up his battle to be fit for the World Cup by taking part in
running and ball work at England's training camp in Carrington. The
20-year-old has been recovering well from his metatarsal injury and will
undergo a scan on 7 June. Assistant coach Steve McClaren is
encouraged by the latest developments and said: "He has been working
with the United physio's all this week. He's stepping things up,
having the relevant scans and progressing well." |
|
Gary Neville
has been ruled out of tomorrow's final World Cup warm-up against
Jamaica. But the 31-year-old is not seen as a doubt for England's
opening Group B game seven days later against Paraguay. The
Manchester United captain had to sit out training on yesterday and again
today due to a hamstring injury. Assistant manager Steve McClaren
said: "It's just a little niggle. Hopefully a few days rest and some
work in the gym and he'll be back training on Monday." |
|
Thursday, 1st
June
|
|
|
Frank Lampard
says he will take penalties during the World Cup, despite missing from
the spot during the friendly win over Hungary. "I'm still the
England penalty taker, I want to keep doing it. You know you might
miss one one day but I'll carry on. Luckily for me it was only a
friendly but it was a reminder I need to stick them away. At Chelsea I
practice them two or three times a week and maybe I haven't done that in
the last two weeks because I've been trying to get my fitness up.
It's vital that the penalty taker is 100% certain he wants to take them
and I'll put some time in now." |
|
Gary Neville
missed today's training session because of a hamstring injury.
Neville came off at half time during Tuesday's match against Hungary at
Old Trafford and was replaced at right back by midfielder Jamie
Carragher. But An FA spokesman said: "It's not a major problem.
It's just a precaution after the game on Tuesday." |
|
|
Marlon King has
been sent home from the Jamaica squad for a breach of discipline.
The 26-year-old Watford forward - who scored 21 goals to guide the
Hornets to promotion - was in the squad to face England in a friendly on
Saturday. King's international team-mates Jason Euell and Jamal
Campbell-Ryce have also been fined 50% of their match fees. King
has been replaced in Jamaica's squad by Sheffield Wednesday frontman
Deon Burton.
Jamaica are preparing to play England for the first
time in a World Cup warm-up match at Old Trafford. According to
Jamaican Football Federation president Crenston Boxhill, King refused to
apologise after breaking a squad curfew. Boxhill is reported to
have told Jamaican radio: "There was more to it than just breaking
curfew and coming late, Marlon King was rude and unapologetic. In
the discussion that the management team had with him, he was quite
unapologetic, which was what really warranted him being expelled from
the camp." |
England Football Online