England Vice Captain Steven Gerrard raring to go at the FIFA World Cup 2010
The perennial under achievers at the World cup, are set to give it another major shake in South Africa as the FIFA World cup begins next month.England who last won the trophy in 1966, are hoping that this time around they will have a change in their fortunes.
England's first match of the tournament takes place in three weeks in Rustenburg against USA.
England players will fly back from Austria on Sunday ready for a friendly match against Mexico at Wembley Stadium on Monday, as they shape up their strategy for the finals in South Africa.
The players are undergoing a training camp in the breathtakingly beautiful Austrian Alps, in a bid to acclimatize themselves with the conditions they are expected to encounter in South Africa.
The high altitude in the rainbow nation is going to take some acclimatization for the teams taking part in the event, especially who have had little experience of playing under the testing conditions.
In a news conference elaborating on the preparations by the team England vice-captain Steven Gerrard said the team had "a fantastic chance of doing well, out in South Africa" provided they keep clear of injuries.
The Liverpool star Gerrard said he had his fingers crossed that Manchester United’s influential striker Wayne Rooney will get fit and can carry on his form during the last season on to the tournament.
Steven Gerrard praised the mixture in the England 30-squad of seasoned players and young talent. "The mix is good," he said. "The challenge now is can we get out on the pitch and prove to the world that we are good enough to be successful at one of these major tournaments."
Many believe that the English team has finally struck the right mix, and can add some silverware in their generally bare looking trophy cabinet.
Yet the generally mild mannered Gerrard said that he wanted to remain practical without speculating about the future.
"We've got to take each game as it comes and the first challenge for this group is can we get out of the group as winners," he told reporters.
"You know we take the last 16 challenge on and try to win that game. I don't really want to look too far ahead of the group really."
The Liverpool skipper looked back on a disappointing season for his club.
"You know it has been a difficult season, personally and for the Liverpool group because we have underachieved.
We haven't achieved our goals that we set out at the beginning of the season so it's been tough dealing with them setbacks but now we are here for England it's important that club issues are parked and put to one side and my main focus and thinking now is England and the World Cup and can I go to the World Cup and do well for myself personally and also be successful with the team."
In his truly gentlemanly ways the amiable Gerrard sympathised with Germany's captain Michael Ballack who is out of the World Cup due to a leg injury sustained at the end of the English season when he was caught out in a melee playing for Chelsea in the FA Cup final game a week ago against Portsmouth.
"I do feel sorry for Michael Ballack because I know exactly how he is feeling," Gerrard said. "The Germans are very strong; they have good players throughout the squad. I am sure that they will cope without him but he is a fantastic player and he will be missed."
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