A senior member of Fifa's executive committee advised England last week to pull out of the campaign to host the 2006 World Cup, it has emerged.

Jack Warner offered the view privately to England's bid team that it might be better to withdraw and resubmit for 2010, rather than risk a heavy defeat, says BBC correspondent Gordon Farquhar.

The warning from Mr Warner - president of the North American and Caribbean confederation Concacaf - followed the adverse publicity surrounding the hooligan problems in Charleroi during the European championships.

Concacaf has been a friend to England's bid from the outset and has three of the 24 votes which will be cast in Zurich on Thursday to decide the destination of the 2006 tournament.

Chances slim

But rather than give up, England have gone on the attack with their bid.

The president of European football's ruling body (Uefa) Lennart Johansson is staunchly behind Germany's bid to host the cup.

But last week former sports minister Tony Banks, driving England's bid, told Uefa they were misguided in believing Germany could win.

He says that Germany cannot attract enough support outside Europe to guarantee beating the third major contender, South Africa, whereas England can.

Despite the decision to press on with the bid, England still has the backing of Concacaf, and with its support there is still a slim chance that its bid will be successful, says Mr Farquhar.