Sven at odds with FA

On their way: England fly out to Turkey

Raoul Simons|Patrick Sawer|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Sven-Goran Eriksson was today plunged into the centre of the bitter dispute between his players and his bosses.

It emerged that the England coach approved the squad's attack on the Football Association over its handling of the Rio Ferdinand affair. The team issued an astonishing statement openly criticising the FA for the debacle which has overshadowed Saturday's vital match.

The statement names Eriksson, saying he has been let down by his employers.

The players threatened to boycott the Turkey match over the dropping of Ferdinand for failing to take a drugs test on time, despite his not having been charged or being allowed to defend himself at a formal hearing.

It appears that Ferdinand begged the players to go on with the Euro 2004 qualifier, persuading them to drop their threat. Today FA sources confirmed that Eriksson had agreed the wording of the players' statement, but moved to talk down suggestions of a serious rift.

They stressed the attack was based on criticism of the drug-testing process rather than the role of FA chief executive Mark Palios, who is determined to clamp down on the game's poor disciplinary record.

The FA source said the organisation had to accept the coach's siding with his players for the sake of an appearance of unity and to enable the men to save face over their climbdown.

Eriksson was known to be furious at having been deprived of a key defender and had earlier made comments to that effect.

The statement read: "Over the past two years since the appointment of Sven-Goran Eriksson as the England team manager, the England football team have talked consistently of showing togetherness and having a fantastic team spirit within our camp.

"We feel that, this week, the whole of our squad have shown that togetherness and spirit to be as strong as ever in the best possible way.

"It is our opinion that the organisation we represent has not only let down one of our team-mates, but the whole of the England squad and its manager. We feel that they have failed us very badly.

"One of our team-mates was penalised without being given the rights he is entitled to and without any charges being brought against him by the governing body of the game.

"Rio Ferdinand was entitled to confidentiality and a 'fair' hearing in front of an independent commission.

"We believe the people responsible for making the decision did not give Rio Ferdinand that due process and [that] has disrupted and made the team weaker against the wishes of the manager and the players.

"All the England players are proud to wear the England shirt and would never let England, Sven-Goran Eriksson or our magnificent fans down.

"In our minds, there has never been any question as to whether we would play in this game. We are fully focused on the match in Istanbul and the only thing that matters is that we qualify for the European Championships next summer."

It also emerged today that England hooligans who try to defy the blanket ban on travelling to Turkey will be met by armed police at Istanbul airport.

MORE ABOUT

Drugs

Drug Testing

Euro

Rio Ferdinand

Sven at odds with FA

Read More