ENGLAND bad boy Teddy Sheringham has publicly apologised for the nightclub antics that gave England's critics more ammunition to fire at Glenn Hoddle's squad.

Just days after the furore surrounding Paul Gascoigne's exclusion from the final 22, Sheringham ignored instructions that the players should spend a few days relaxing with their families by jetting off to Portugal for a beerfest with his mates.

He was alleged to have been clubbing until 7am and was pictured in the papers drinking, chatting up a 20-year-old blonde, and seemingly smoking a cigarette. Those lurid shots infuriated and undermined Hoddle, and there were calls for the Manchester United striker to suffer the Gazza treatment and be dumped from the squad. He has escaped that ultimate punishment, although possibly only because the FIFA deadline has passed for countries to change their nominated 22 names for any reason other then injury. So Sheringham will be in France, but Hoddle has made it clear that any further misbehaviour when he considers his players to be on England duty - as he did during this week's three day break - will leave the player in hot water.