THE airline, Cathay Pacific, got it wrong with their allegations about England, Terry Venables angrily claimed yesterday.

He criticised the media's willingness to believe the airline's allegations against his players, who have assumed "collective responsibility" for the £5,000 damage claimed to have been inflicted on two television screens on the flight home from Hong Kong last week.

But he insisted the controversy has strengthened the unity of his squad as they prepare for England's biggest football challenge for 30 years.

"They are very, very angry about lots of things," said Venables. "That's fine. I have spoken to them about it. We're in a high-profile situation.

"We've got to accept criticism.

But not what has gone on, calling them spineless and things like that."

Venables is angry that no-one asked him for his version of events before the story was splashed across every back page and television channel, though he left the country within hours of it breaking to go on a spying mission to Switzerland.

"Cathay Pacific? You seem to want to take their word straight away. Have you any proof, any pictures? Let me see them," he added.

"If you have I might say yeah you're right, I'm wrong. Show me the pictures, because I haven't any proof otherwise.

"There was very little problem upstairs (on the plane). It's been made to sound like a party up there. They were playing cards all night. You believe them (Cathay) but you won't believe us.

Did Cathay get it wrong? "I think so. Ask one of their own pilots who was up there.

"There was a little something which has gone way beyond what anyone deserves. I have not had one iota of a problem with these boys over two and a half years."

The England coach, whose side launch England's first home tournament for 30 years against Switzerland on Saturday, defended his private investigation and his joint decision with his players not to single out any of the 22-man squad, or to go into detail about their discussions.

The English FA confirmed yesterday that they have reached a settlement with the airline to pay compensation for the damage.