England players focused '200%'

England players were focusing “200%” today on their crucial football match against Turkey after they decided against a boycott over the Rio Ferdinand drugs test row, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said.

The players dismissed talk of a strike yesterday following a meeting at their training headquarters but the decision did not bring an end to their bitter stand-off with the Football Association.

In a statement issued last night, David Beckham, Michael Owen and the rest of the squad attacked the FA, claiming it had “failed us badly”.

England coach Eriksson said he was happy with the decision to play the Euro 2004 qualifier and said his players would now concentrate “200%” on Saturday’s game.

The announcement that the squad would travel to Istanbul came from FA chief executive Mark Palios following the meeting.

But the players’ statement made it clear they were not happy and bitterly criticised the FA over the handling of Manchester United defender Ferdinand.

“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,” the statement said.

“We feel that they have failed us very badly.