There was further accusations of corruption in FIFA today, as it was announced that the team from Switzerland will be allowed to field 38 players in their Euro 2012 qualifier against England.
A representative of the FA also criticised the decision to make the England team take turns in goal, and to have to play in 'skins'. "The wellingtons really are a step too far, it's almost as if FIFA have decided the result of Saturday's match in advance".
The odds of an England victory rocketed to 500:1 on Betfair moments after the revised rules were announced. The rumour that the new Swiss goal was only three foot square may have also undermined confidence amongst spread-betters.
"The introduction of a new purple card, which dictates that the whole team must play in a 'crab' style for 15 minutes, is a move too far", claimed one member of the FA. "And we're certainly not happy that it is only our players that will be forced to eat a whole dundee cake before kick-off."
"We have not given up", announced Fabio Cappello, the England manager. "We have given out DVDs of 'Escape to Victory' to the whole team, and taught them the importance of a Bill Conti soundtrack. But we are not happy that the referee and both linesmen are both German, or that all the tickets in the stadium have been sold to Scottish fans."
The FA still hold out some hope. "We're hoping that we might still stand a chance of picking up the fair play award", said an upbeat Alex Horne. "If that starts to look unlikely, we might just tunnel out of the showers at half-time".