THE disgusting, pathetic state of English football, after a fortnight that has shamed the national game, was accurately summed up by what a sports journalist from another newspaper said to me yesterday.

"I can't wait," he said with a sigh, "to be able to write about football again."

If those that live and breathe the game are sick of seeing its image tarnished, what hope is there for anyone else?

We were still reeling from Arsenal's shameful behaviour at Old Trafford when stories of the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl by Premiership footballers came to light.

Only yesterday, Leeds United midfielder Jody Morris was suspended by his club after he was arrested and questioned following an alleged serious sexual assault.

And in the middle of this obscene maelstrom, the pride of England's footballers has been doing a passable impression of Red Robbo.

What possessed David Beckham et al to threaten to boycott tomorrow's Euro 2004 qualifier with Turkey is beyond the comprehension of any fair-minded fan.

Yet there they were, further alienating supporters who are rapidly falling out of love with the beautiful game.

The players' support of and solidarity behind Rio Ferdinand were commendable, but the loyalty was horrendously misplaced.

Ferdinand should be begging the Football Association not to impose the maximum two-year ban upon him for his incredibly show of stupidity in missing a drugs test.

So, he passed a test he took 36 hours after the first one was scheduled. Sorry, but so what?

At a time when Ferdinand ought to have been contrite, he was combative - fighting his corner with the full backing of Manchester United, who even threatened to order their other players to pull out of the England squad.

In athletics and a number of other sports, evading a drugs test is as serious an offence as failing one. So, why should a footballer be any different?

Despite this, and with the public backing the FA for refusing to make Ferdinand available, his international colleagues acted like the immature schoolboy who takes his ball home when things go against him in the playground.

Thank heavens the FA stood firm, otherwise their drug-testing policy - like embattled Sven-Goran Eriksson's plans for tomorrow's match - would have lain in tatters.

Even at training yesterday, with the matter apparently resolved, England's players were a sullen, moody bunch. Their body language showed they still felt betrayed.

But by whom? The FA were merely acting according to their laws.

Because they had for once not got their way, however, this disparate collection of multi-millionaires have plunged England's European Championship hopes into chaos.

No wonder Eriksson is spending every spare minute plotting an escape route from his job.

If England lose in Istanbul tomorrow, the Three Lions should be ripped off the shirt of every player that wanted to go on strike.

And just when Eriksson thought his task could not get any tougher, Michael Owen succumbed to his leg injury.

Never fear, however. Emile Heskey and James Beattie are on hand to fill the breach. Gulp.

The only people to benefit from this apocalyptic week are the Turks. Even in their wildest dreams, they could not have wished for England to be in such disarray going into such an important game.

It is, as mentioned earlier, a relief that we can now talk about football rather than the senseless sideshows that have dogged this week.

England's players will only begin to repair the damage caused by their illogical behaviour by taking at least a point from tomorrow's game.

But after the events of the past few days, don't get your hopes up.