England mutiny ended by Ferdinand

THE England squad last night stepped back from the brink of strike action ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey – but only after stinging criticism of the Football Association.

The players issued a statement in which they accused the FA of letting down both them and Sven-Goran Eriksson, with their treatment of Rio Ferdinand after his failure to take a drugs test on time.

They insisted there had never been any serious question over their participation in the final group game, even though they voted unanimously in favour of a threat to boycott the game if Ferdinand was not recalled.

Instead, they attempted to lay the blame for a fiasco at the door of the FA, claiming the governing body's stance had "made the team weaker against the wishes of the manager and the players."

Eventually, after Ferdinand phoned his team-mates to tell them to play on, the threat of expulsion from Euro 2004 if the match was not played, and growing public condemnation, had an effect.

The FA also tried to give some ground by offering to review some of their disciplinary procedures after listening to the views of players, led by David Beckham, Sol Campbell, Michael Owen and Gary Neville.

A little after 9pm last night, a solution was finally reached, although it was one that still left the England team and the FA at apparent loggerheads as the squad seemed to ignore the most salient fact of all that Ferdinand had actually failed to give a drugs test when required.

The squad's statement declared: "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 that 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."

The FA had defiantly stood by their decision not to select Ferdinand, but were willing to allow the players to release an unedited statement as part of the settlement.

FA director of communications Mr Paul Barber said: "We took a policy decision, we stood by it in the face of enormous pressure and we were right to do it."

Eriksson was meanwhile left to breathe a sigh of relief as the threat of a strike evaporated.

The England coach had done his best to stay out of the row, retaining the loyalty of his players in the process. "It has been a different build-up to this game, I must say," he said. "We haven't started to talk football yet, which is a little bit strange."

Meanwhile Arsenal centre-back Sol Campbell yesterday escaped suspension after his trial by television following a controversial clash with Manchester United's Eric Djemba-Djemba in the FA Community Shield.

Campbell, who has been fined £20,000, appeared before the FA who had levelled an initial charge of violent behaviour after he kicked out in retaliation at Djemba-Djemba during the clash at Cardiff in August.

But the offence was diluted to one of "improper behaviour" by the FA's disciplinary committee and Campbell said: "I was given a fair hearing and I'm happy with the decision they have made."