Disgrace !

Agreed but has it been proven they sed they wud strike????? rio shouldnt be in deffo .

rules are there for a reason. they should respect that, over paid idiots thinking they're above it again. let them strike - see which ones actually do. Sven can populate the team with other players. if we lose - we know exactly who to shame.

Bunch of fucking cunts ... the most important game since the world cup and they wnna strike

*swears in muttley fashion*

Overpaid wining little babys!

Guilty until proved innocent now is it??.....i think ferdinand should play....after all h took the test 36 hours later and passed!!...the FA have got it in for england at the minute, and are trying every trick in the book to stop us qualifying for portugal.....i think the players are making a stand and i admire them for it!!!

The Football Association is preparing to meet senior England players for a crucial clear-the-air meeting at their Hertfordshire base. The FA and England team are scheduled to meet on Wednesday afternoon following threats of a player strike ahead of Saturday's trip to Turkey.

A ballot held by the players following dinner on Tuesday evening was reported to have resulted in a vote in favour of a boycott after Rio Ferdinand was left out of the England squad for failing to attend a routine drugs test.

And, while that threat now appears to have eased, resentment clearly remains within the England camp following Ferdinand's exile.

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor told BBC Radio Five Live: "There is a strong feeling of solidarity and the players are very concerned.

"They have made those feelings known to the FA.

Taylor seemed to rule out the threat of strike action when he added: "The game will have to take place but the FA can do things to improve the morale there."

The England squad reported for training as planned at 1030 BST on Wednesday and their meeting with FA officials including chief executive Mark Palios was scheduled to follow soon after.

Paul Barber, the FA's director of marketing and communications, insisted Tuesday's meetings had proved constructive.

He said: "The players obviously wanted to express their opinions and views on what has happened. We were very happy to listen.

"They also listened to our explanation of what has happened and the reasons behind it.

"At no time - and David Beckham has asked me to make this clear - did any of the players at that meeting threaten to walk out of the squad."

Ferdinand's club Manchester United have expressed their outrage at the treatment of their £30m defender, who has denied ever using drugs.

Chief executive David Gill said: "The club are deeply troubled by the FA's handling of the situation.

"We think the decision not to select Rio for England is wrong - we will vigorously pursue our concerns about the matter in due course."

United claim Ferdinand, who is likely to be charged with misconduct following an interview next week, has had "unfair pressure" placed upon him.

"Rio has still not been charged with an offence," the club added in a statement.

"Precedent suggests that he should continue to be available to represent England until at least a disciplinary finding has been made against him by the FA.

"Manchester United believe the FA's actions have seriously compromised the player's confidentiality, in what should have remained a strictly confidential matter."

But Dick Pound of the World Anti-Doping Agency told BBC Sport that those claims held no weight.

"I do not have a great deal of sympathy for that argument.

"All he had to do to avoid all this was to turn up for the test," said Pound.

He added: "The confidentiality issue is much overblown. Had he been charged with murder, that would have been on public record.

"If a player receives 30 requests a day then he may be inclined to forget, but this is something that happens once a year or every six months."

Think of the problems it may have caused if Rio played and then the Turks found out that he had missed the test. They could claim legality and try and get the result cancelled

36 hours later?!?!?! plenty of time to get 'certain' types of toxins out of your system. rules are rules. he's one of the top players in the country, he should know the consequences of missing a drugs test b4 a cruitial game. moving house excuse - can u really see him carrying his MFI sofa out of the back on a 'Hertz' tansit van?

there has to be one rule for all.

Look if they let one get away with it then there will be allsorts of shite going on .... hey if bosnich had forgot he may still be playing eh???

Agreed just listening to press conference and the players a deciding tonight what they are doing !!!

Its a Shambles !!!

Rio broke a very strict rule that most be adheared too, the rules are quite clear if they bend them for one then all of em will try and get away with failing to take tests the FA have to stand by there decision on this, its a joke the players who threatining to strike should be dropped whoever they are and not picked to play for the country again !!

Football is a joke at the minute with one thing and another :evil:

you're right though mark, it's bang out of order if they do walk out.

Radgie Lips Rio should take his punishment like a man and tell the players to stop this nonsence and get playing football for their country. Twats.

here here! a total joke. over paid with over inflated egos. They think they're untouchable - and it's getting worse.

its all his own fault, he knows the score about it.
there going to ruin the chances for england qualifying, as UEFA will give the game to Turkey if wqe dont play it

not a good day for football again... i see they have arrested a 29 year old man for the gang rape aswell

whats gonna happen next!

Re: Disgrace !

Fuckin right, what a bunch of idiots. Ferdinand fucked up big style.... no excuse at all for missing a dope test, claimed he was moving house then was snapped shopping at harvey nicks that afternoon. According to the rules missing a test amounts to failinga test.... If we let him play it would condone his actions and the turks would be in uproar.

Rest of the players threatening to strike is ridiculous... they need a good reality slap

first ...please dont call me a fucking donut!!...i have my own reasons why i beleive what i beleive.


The FA have tried every trick they know, hyping trouble frrom England fans abroad, completely overblowing the "pitch invasion" and racist chanting at the Stadium of Light, the timing of the Campbell case, the timing and subsequent handling of the Ferdinand case, and the constant drip drip drip of stories to the media saying we're walking on a knife-edge, one false move and we're out of the competition.

Even the handling of Crozier's departure left a rank smell in your nostrils, suspecting there was much more to it than was ever made public.

Look at other events in Slovenia, Macedonia, Turkey, Georgia, Italy, all dealt with with the minimum of fuss and quickly swept under the carpet.

There seems to have been this growing element over a number of years where the slightest perceived misdemeanour of English clubs, fans or the national team and we're bringing out the gallows ready to publically hang ourselves.

The thing I just can't get my head around is why would someone want to do this? Is it a strategy to obtain some position of power by ousting a person or group deep within the FA?

All of these thought are my own opinion, and I have no further facts or information, merely the observations listed above, plus others that are just that bit too hazy in my memory to put down at the moment.

If these players dont play and others are drafted in to the squad and the team lose !!!

I hope these childish pricks are never aloud to forget that they let there country down whoever it is !!!

Rules are rules !!! (even Man U have to abide by the rules)

No one or group of players are bigger than any club or country !!

:evil: :evil: :evil: :bang: :angry:

The FA let Rio play for Man Utd but think it is okay to ban for England.

The FA are scared of Man Utd.

Rio should have been allowed to play for England & his identity should have been kept secret until the picture became clear.

I have no problems with the England team sticking together & showing solidarity with a teamate as I would, but any player who does strike should never be allowed to play for England again.

Failing to take or do one these tests is similar to someone refusing or failing to take a Breath test from the police you are presumed guilty for failing to take and have to prove your innocence!!!

this is just the same rule the FA put in place for Bowyer,Woodgate and Terry when they where under investigation for various things, they where not allowed to play for the national team, Then again they didnt play for Man Ure (just heard Gary Neville is leading the player revolt) :evil:

its fucking ridiculous. if i was there managers i would fucking fine them for being so fucking pathetic!

how late did he take his test?