The Football Association have been embarrassed by revelations that the England senior team were secretly taped ahead of Wednesday's friendly win over Egypt.
Takeshi Okada, the Japan coach, has been told to risk the anger of European clubs by calling up players from the continent's top leagues for next month's friendly against Serbia.
The former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has tipped his former side to win this summer's World Cup, despite questions over the future of manager Joachim Loew
Any faint hopes Michael Owen had of going to the World Cup finals look to be over, after a hamstring strain ruled the Manchester United forward out of the rest of the season.