BERN: Switzrland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld had followed England’s Roy Hodgson – a former manager of the Swiss – in criticised the use of Manaus as a World Cup venue.

Hitzfeld’s team play their final group game, against Honduras, in the city in the Amazon.

In an interview with the SWR radio station, Hitzfeld said: “We play France in Salvador which is very hot but Manaus is even worse because of having to play in a humid tropical conditions with 95pc humidity and a temperature of between 30 and 40 degrees.

“I think it is almost irresponsible to send us to play football in the middle of the jungle . . .It also take us five hours to fly there from Salvador which is a big problem of its own.”

Campaign opener

Before the draw last month England manager Hodgson has expressed the hope that his team would avoid a tie in Manaus which he described as “the place to avoid.”

In the event England must open their campaign there, against Italy. Hodgson moderated his comments slightly, saying: “From the coaches I spoke to, we all agree that Manaus is not an ideal place to play football.

“It’s in the middle of the Amazonian jungle and the temperatures and humidity are much, much greater than any other place in the country.

“I’m not certain Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia would have been jumping for joy if they were drawn there. I’ve never known Brazil, for example, play any home matches in Manaus.”