FA to blame for row - Players' chief

Players’ chief Gordon Taylor believes there is “trouble in the England camp” amid rumours of a players’ strike following the Football Association’s decision to exclude Rio Ferdinand for the Turkey match because he failed to take a drug test.

The Manchester United defender claims he forgot to attend a routine test at the club’s Carrington training ground on September 23 because he in the process of moving house.

The FA yesterday decided it would be “inappropriate” to select him in the squad for Saturday’s crucial Euro 2004 qualifier in Istanbul, despite no charges having yet been made against the player, who passed a test 36 hours after it was scheduled to have been taken.

Players, including captain David Beckham, were said to be so unhappy at the FA’s decision they were prepared to boycott the match unless Ferdinand was reinstated.

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Taylor confirmed their had been a meeting of the players and believes the FA have “shot themselves in the foot”.

He told Sky Sports News: “They knew how the club [Manchester United] would feel and how the players would feel.

“They’ve made the manager [Sven-Goran Eriksson] pick a squad he is not necessarily happy with.

“These players don’t play for England for money, it’s a pure honour and it means a lot to them. It’s not just Rio who is disappointed, it’s the rest of the team.”

Asked if there had been talk of a strike, Taylor added: “They feel badly about it, I can’t say any more than that.

“I’m not going to prejudge it. The FA have prejudged that Rio Ferdinand would be guilty as charged before we’ve even started a meeting. I’m not going to predict how this will end up.

“They’ve got trouble in the camp and I can understand that they want to try and stick together.

“The players have got together and made their feelings known in meetings.

“Everybody was looking forward to the Turkey game, including Rio Ferdinand, but he isn’t now. Don’t ask me about the problems the FA have caused, ask the FA.

“I can see why supporters think this has been messed up when it needn’t have been. The FA have got themselves into this mess, now they have to get themselves out of it.”