Neville on standby

LONDON: Veteran fullback Phil Neville was called up on Monday to replace West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker for England’s World Cup stand-by list. The 29-year-old Everton defender joins Scott Carson, Michael Dawson, who himself replaced Luke Young on Sunday, Jermain Defoe and Andrew Johnson on England’s five-man standby list. Reo-Coker was forced to admit he was not fit enough after suffering from a persistent back problem when he pulled out of training with England on Tuesday.

Adebayor joins squad

WANGEN IM ALLGAU: World Cup finals debutants Togo’s star player Emmanuel Adebayor trained for the first time with his teammates after joining up after a few days rest. However while the Arsenal striker was present their veteran coach Otto Pfister was not because he was told to rest by the squad’s doctor. The 68-year-old — who replaced Stephen Keshi after he was sacked following a terrible African Nations Cup finals campaign earlier this year — has a virus. The Sparrohawks are to play four warm-up matches ahead of football’s showpiece event.