TERRY TO REPLACE KEANE AT ITV?John Terry is set for a dramatic World Cup call-up, as a replacement for Roy Keane in the ITV squad covering the tournament. The Chelsea defender, who quit international football two years ago, has been installed as the bookies favourite to fill the void left by Keane, who walked out on ITV yesterday, in order to "concentrate on his coaching career". The news prompted a mixed response. There was anger in some quarters, but a Daily Mirror poll found the majority in favour.
WILL ENGLAND FANS 'BEHAVE LIKE PRIESTS'?The mayor of the Brazilian city of Manaus, where England play their World Cup opener against Italy on 12 June, says he hopes the 7,000 England fans expected to descend on the Amazonian outpost to "behave like priests". Arthur Virgilio Noto, who last year said the English would not be welcome in his city, predicted a "beautiful event" and said: "When I go to England, I behave like a peaceful priest. I hope everyone who comes to Manaus will also behave like a priest."
FINAL TICKETS MADE AVAILABLEWith the venues almost complete and barely a week to go before kick off an additional 180,000 World Cup tickets went on sale this morning, giving football fans one last chance to snap up seats for the world’s most popular sporting event. Tickets are available for all games, and CNN says there are still some bargains to be had for those willing to venture into the jungle for games in Manaus – where England play Italy on 14 June. Many of the tickets appear to be unsold tickets that had been reserved for the disabled.
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SUAREZ ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERYIt's not the news England were hoping for, but Luis Suarez has returned to Uruguay's training camp and is working "round the clock" to be fit for the World Cup after knee surgery. Doctors quizzed by The Guardian reported that everything was "on course” for the 27-year-old to “recover correctly”. Suarez appeared to be a doubt for Uruguay’s second match against England on 19 June but it now seems increasingly likely he will return in time for the clash in Sao Paulo. “He is following a plan that was set out before the operation and we are moving towards positive expectations”, said Dr Alberto Pan.
ENGLAND PRACTISE PENALTIES 'A LOT'It's not done much good in the past, but England captain Steven Gerrard has confirmed that England will practise penalties "a lot" ahead of the World Cup. England's record in World Cup shoot-outs is three defeats out of three, and they have lost three out of four in the European Championships. This time around they are working with sports psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters to calm their nerves, but Gerrard told the BBC that shoot-outs were daunting. "You have an awful lot more time to think about your penalty, and what is at stake is a lot bigger."
FOUR AMIGOS... LIVING ON THE EDGEEngland's four amigos, Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshire and Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, are becoming inseparable. They stepped out together in Miami yesterday to show that spirits in the England camp had not been dampened by the poor weather. The foursome enjoyed a stroll along the beach where Sturridge posted a "beach selfie with the boys" using Instagram. They also found their way onto the roof of a skyscraper, where Sturridge admitted the view made his "belly drop". Fortunately no-one fell off.
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