England have suffered more pre-World Cup disruption – after the team’s chef was stopped from boarding a train because he was carrying cooking knives.
On Friday, Daily Mail Sport broke the sensational story that The Three Lions had been the target of an extraordinary heist in which boots, balls and training equipment was swiped from a van transporting the equipment from Florida to Kansas City, where they will be based for the tournament.
And it can now be disclosed that the chef – central to the team’s preparation – triggered a security alert as he tried to board a train from West Palm Beach to Orlando ahead of England’s friendly against Costa Rica.
While state laws permit the carrying of a concealed firearms or pocket knives, rail operators have their own rules.
And the Brightline operator, who runs the service from Miami to Orlando via West Palm Beach, prohibits the carrying of weapons of any type.
It is understood that the chef unwittingly set off a metal detector at the station. He was told that he would not be permitted to take the knives on the service and would have to travel without them.
As a result, alternative arrangements had to be made. Insiders say the situation was resolved amicably.
Delivering the right nutrition to players is viewed as essential to England’s operation. The squad are having multiple barbecues and theme nights in an attempt to increase camaraderie and prevent mealtimes from becoming laborious.
Meanwhile, unlike their kit, England landed safely in Kansas City at the city’s downtown airport this afternoon. They were transported via a heavy police escort with a series of motorcycles, to their base at the Inn at Meadowbrook, in upmarket Prairie Village. Locals have bought mini England flags to plant in their gardens while dozens of signs welcoming Tuchel and his men have gone up in roads around the neighbourhood. A group of around 150 were at the hotel to welcome them, along with a local band. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were among a group who crosssed the road to sign autographs and pose for selfies.
A series of security measures have been put in place at the boutique hotel, which is styled in the shape of an English country inn.
Screens are in place to shield the players from prying eyes at the complex, which is based in a public park. Residents in an adjacent, swanky apartment block have been told they cannot sub-let their places for the duration of England’s stay. The hotel’s coffee shop – a favourite with residents – has been closed to the public along with the hotel’s high-end American restaurant. As a result, a pop up shop has been erected nearby.
