Czechs ban Hammer after late night out

West Ham midfielder Radoslav Kovac was among six players banned from the Czech Republic team for disciplinary reasons while their coach Petr Rada was sacked because of poor results.

The players were widely criticised back home after reports that they had a late-night drinking session at a restaurant following the 2‑1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Slovakia. As well as Kovac, who is on loan from Spartak Moscow until the end of the season, the group also included captain Tomas Ujfalusi, former Liverpool striker Milan Baros and Reading's Marek Matejovsky.

Czech FA board member Jaroslav Starka said: "The executive board has banned all these six players, who were at the bar. However, the new coach will decide whether to pick them in future."

Last Wednesday's defeat to Slovakia leaves the Czechs five points behind Group Four leaders Northern Ireland.

England have moved up two places to seventh in the latest world rankings on the back of victories over Slovakia and Ukraine. Spain lead the table, a record 350 points ahead of Germany.