ENGLAND and Germany were back on a collision course for the right to stage the 2006 World Cup after both sides yesterday reiterated their intention to go it alone.

Reports that German FA president Egidius Braun had mooted the possibility of a joint bid by the arch rivals of European football during a television interview on Sunday were thought to be the result of problems in interpretation.

A spokesman for the German FA explained: "Our president never spoke about a joint bid and it was all a case of misinterpretation. During the television programme, in which he was talking about the German bid alone, Mr Braun talked about having a split European bid rather than a single bid from Germany.

What he meant was that two bids would come from Europe - one from us and one from England - but his comments lost something in the translation to make it seem that he was calling for a joint bid. That is not the case. Any German bid and, I'm sure, any English bid will be independent."

And Alec McGivan, the man put in charge of England's bid by the Football Association, also remained insistent that the idea of a joint initiative looked a non starter after FIFA announced such a proposal would be dismissed out of hand anyway by them.

"We are still waiting to make official contact with the German FA but I must admit that we were very surprised last night to hear the idea of a possible joint bid come from their side," said McGivan.

The finals will be shared for the first time when Japan and Korea co host the event in 2002 but FIFA insist this will be a "one off" arrangement with an immediate switch back to the traditional single country format.