Spurs legend Gary Mabbutt believes the blame for the Ledley King debacle lies with England boss Fabio Capello.

Mabbutt said: "When Jurgen Klinsmann was manager of the German national team he made good relationships with every single manager of clubs he had players at, which means he could pick up the phone and discuss things.

"That appears not to have happened in this situation. Fabio should be doing that with all managers, and then these situations will not arise."

However, it seems that Spurs and England are set on a collision course, for sources suggest that Capello considers King to be the most "Italian-style" of all his current England defenders and the England boss will not baulk at calling up the Tottenham captain again.