Nakastue, located on the southern island of Kyushu, 800 kilometres from Tokyo, and with a population of just 1,370, is all a-tizz after Cameroon chose it as its base for May's World Cup training camp. Everyone from village officials to kindergarten children is taking lessons in French (Cameroon's official language) to welcome its visitors and the green, red and yellow flag of Ireland's group opponents is already fluttering on the roof of the village hall.

Nakatsue: Indomitable hosts

Roughly 90 per cent of the village is made up of woodland and, according to the locals, racoons and boars are as common a sight as humans. Mayor Yasumu Sakamoto ("I knew they would choose us because they had said they wanted to stay at a lonely place") insists the village will not attempt to profit from its success in being chosen as one of Japan's 25 training camps, nor try to make Nakatsue a popular tourist site, because "we have no hotels or things to sell anyway".

For some, though, Nakatsue's honour has only brought headaches. Tyler Russell, a 26-year-old Canadian who moved to the village for some peace and quiet, is now up to his eyes trying to teach the locals French, while the owner of the hotel in a nearby village, where Cameroon will stay, is fretting about the size of his beds, which he fears will not be long enough to accommodate Cameroon's loftier players. "Maybe we have to ask them to sleep diagonally," he said. He should be thankful that he doesn't have to find a bed for Niall Quinn.

Media briefing: Hosts staying home

Can't afford to travel to Japan and South Korea this summer? You're not the only one. The BBC and ITV confirmed this week that their respective main men, Gary Lineker and Des Lynam, will be presenting their World Cup coverage from London. ITV's studios will be on the banks of the river Thames while Lineker, Lawrenson and co will be holed up in White City. "It's primarily down to cost," explained the Beeb's Niall Sloane. "Japan and South Korea are inordinately expensive countries, it's a long way to go and early-morning starts mean viewing figures will be down on previous tournaments." When asked if the BBC would head east for the latter stages of the competition Sloane replied: "We have left ourselves the possibility of flying them out there if England progr ess". "So they'll be staying in London, then," said the Guardian. Tut tut.