News From The Camps

Always good to get your excuse in early, and Russia have taken the Souness route by suggesting before they've started that referees will cheat them out of the tournament - "this is just a reality and I'm afraid there is nothing we can do about it", just to make it abundantly clear whose fault it will be. Portugal and Spain "seen almost as co-hosts"? Insomuch that Scotland co-hosted with England in 1996 by bringing loads of fans down, we suppose. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian squad have refused to share hotel rooms, which means they won't be moving to Premiership clubs any time soon.