Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira claims his World Cup holders would never follow the England players' lead and threaten to pull out of an international match, though he applauded the unity within the England player camp.

Parreira, former boss of Turkish side Fenerbahce, and in England preparing for the friendly with Jamaica at Leicester's Walkers Stadium, has been astonished by this week's developments in the England camp, which will now head into the match against Turkey minus Rio Ferdinand.

"Eriksson has had so many difficulties this week and as far as I can see, all the talk has been about everything apart from football which is not good," said Parreira. "Even within our squad, we've been talking about it. But I think the England players have reached the correct decision, going to play the game in Turkey is the right thing to do.

"It is important for there to be unity among the squad and if something similar were to happen to a Brazil player, his team-mates would most definitely support him. But they would never go as far as to say they would not play, especially in a big match."

"England already had a very difficult task in Istanbul but that doesn't mean they can't go and win there," he added. "Turkish football is on a high and they have players with class who will play with a lot of spirit. But England also have very good players although they will find it a very difficult game."

Much of that responsibility will rest on the shoulders of Wayne Rooney, who is likely to stand in for injured Michael Owen, partnering Emile Heskey. At just 17, the Everton striker has had little experience of occasions as tumultuous as an international in Istanbul can be. Eriksson, though, has no fears about the youngster's temperament

"I think that Wayne Rooney is as cool as he has always been," insisted Eriksson. "The only problem that he's had lately is that he hasn't played from the start for Everton in the past three games. When he sees a football, he doesn't think about other things, I can promise you that. He takes things in his stride."

Eriksson also does not believe there will be any problem with Rooney and Paul Scholes adopting similar positions on the pitch as the Everton striker will play a deep-lying role. "It shouldn't be a problem if they both play. They are both clever players," he stressed.

British police arrested two soccer players yesterday in connection with a 17-year-old girl's allegations that she was gang-raped at a hotel by several English Premiership stars.

"A 22-year-old man attended a London police station by appointment where he was arrested . . . A 19-year-old man old attended a separate London police station by appointment where he was arrested," police said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United and England player Kieron Dyer has issued a statement denying any involvement in the attack.

Dyer, currently with the England squad in Istanbul said: "I had no involvement in this matter, let alone being 'at the centre of it' as suggested in e-mails, web sites and elsewhere. My reputation has been damaged in the most public way possible."