FERDINANDS GET THE NOD

               Almost every pundit had expected that one if not both of
               the Ferdinand cousins would be omitted from England's
               World Cup finals squad.

               Instead both the West Ham teenager Rio and the
               31-year-old Tottenham striker Les were included after
               he, unlike Paul Gascoigne was able to convince Hoddle
               of his fitness to take part.

               Ferdinand's Spurs team-mate Ian Walker must have
               feared the worst after he was the only member of the
               squad on duty out here in Spain not to play in any of
               England's three warm-up games.

               But for Phil Neville, whose brother Gary did survive the
               cut, there was the horrible shock of finding himself
               omitted, all the more surprising with news that Andy
               Hinchcliffe had been ruled out with the thigh injury he
               sustained in training on Thursday.

               It means that Chelsea's Graeme Le Saux is the only
               natural left-sider in the 22, giving the squad an unbalanced
               look.

               Neville, likely to be flying back home on Sunday night,
               with the FA attempting to book a flight to carry the
               omitted men back to England at the earliest possible
               opportunity, will have a familiar face to share his misery
               with, Manchester United team-mate Nicky Butt, also
               suffering the cruel fate.

               But while they will be devastated at being discarded at
               this stage, the survivors will be celebrating their good
               fortune.

               Along with Ferdinand, Paul Merson and Newcastle's Rob
               Lee - one of the victims of Terry Venables' Euro 96 - had
               featured on most lists of the men who would not make it.

               It appears that the end of Gascoigne's dream opened the
               way for Riverside Stadium team-mate Merson - with
               whom he has been lodging recently - to be handed the
               chance of World Cup glory.

               Merson's renaissance from the depths of his drink,
               gambling and drug problems is as amazing as Gascoigne's
               omission. 

               Having moved to First Division Middlesbrough from
               Arsenal he was at an immediate disadvantage. Even as he
               marked his first start under Hoddle with a goal in
               Switzerland in March, the coach was less than
               enthusiastic in his praise on his display against Belgium on
               Friday was also given short shrift in Hoddle's post-match
               press conferences. 

               Never the less he is in, along with Steve McManaman,
               while for Lee the delight will be doubled after the misery
               he suffered at the hands of Venables two years ago. 

               What must have clinched it for Lee ahead of the
               terrier-like Butt is the versatility of the Magpies skipper. 

               Whenever he has been called upon by Hoddle, in a vast
               number of midfield roles, Lee has never let the coach
               down and deserves his unexpected call.

               Hoddle personally gave the bad news to the sad sextet at
               the luxury Regency Hyatt Hotel here in La Manga where
               the squad has spent the last week apart from the short
               visit to Morocco for the games on Wednesday and
               Friday nights. 

               The coach is due to explain the reasons for his decisions
               at a news conference on Monday lunchtime when the fate
               of Gascoigne is absolutely certain to be on top of the
               agenda. 

               For now though, the fact of which is important -
               Gascoigne is out and his England career is probably over.

               Maybe Hoddle will be regretting his decision to leave out
               Matt Le Tissier last month and his major public row with
               Chris Sutton. 

               Whatever the coach feels, the truth is that the
               post-Gascoigne era has begun and that England will look
               to win the World Cup without the man most fans thought
               would be the player most likely to make that possible.

               England squad

               Seaman (Arsenal) 
               Flowers (Blackburn) 
               Martyn (Leeds) 
               Campbell (Tottenham) 
               Adams (Arsenal) 
               Keown (Arsenal) 
               R Ferdinand (West Ham) 
               Southgate (Aston Villa) 
               G Neville (Man Utd) 
               Anderton (Tottenham) 
               Beckham (Man Utd) 
               Le Saux (Chelsea) 
               Lee (Newcastle) 
               McManaman (Liverpool) 
               Ince (Liverpool) 
               Batty (Newcastle) 
               Merson (Middlesbrough) 
               Scholes (Man Utd) 
               L Ferdinand (Tottenham) 
               Shearer (Newcastle) 
               Sheringham (Man Utd) 
               Owen (Liverpool) 

               © PA Sporting Life