World Cup preview: England
Coach: Fabio Capello
Key player: Wayne Rooney
Previous best: Winners 1966
In the 44 years since 1966, man has landed on the moon, Elvis Presley died, the Berlin Wall came down, the Internet was launched and the Queen, well, hasn’t done much, but in all that time England haven’t managed to win a second World Cup.
It’s not for the want of trying though.
England have qualified for eight of the 11 tournaments in that time, but have never got further than 1990’s semi-final defeat to West Germany, bowing out in the quarter finals in each of the last two World Cups.
This time they return under the stewardship of Italian Fabio Capello, about as experienced and disciplined a coach as you could wish to find anywhere, and an impressive qualifying campaign has got English supporters believing that this, finally, could be their year.
Much of that optimism centres on Wayne Rooney, Manchester United’s Liverpool-born striker who has just enjoyed the season of his life.
Thirty-four goals in all competitions ensured that his team didn’t miss the departed Cristiano Ronaldo, and Rooney’s transformation from a genuinely gifted youngster to world-renowned goal-getter was complete. He scored nine goals in England’s qualifying campaign, and is the focal point and the driving force behind his team. He’ll have some pretty useful backup too.
In Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool captain and England’s most capped player heading to South Africa, and Frank Lampard, a terrific goalscoring force for Chelsea and one of the most consistent players in Europe, England possess two of world football’s most prized midfielders.
There remains a concern that the two can’t play together, but Capello’s decision to give Gerrard a freer role – usually coming from the left – in the qualifying campaign helped England achieve a return of nine wins from 10 matches, and their reward has been a very kind group in the finals.
England should easily finish in the top two of a group that also includes the USA, Algeria and Slovenia, and they’ll hope that the matches could provide a confidence boost ahead of the knockout rounds. What happens there is up to them, but there is genuine cause for supporters to believe that another quarter final is the least they can expect.
There is still bemusement amongst many at Capello’s continual desire to pick Emile Heskey, the veteran Aston Villa forward who has a modest goalscoring record at both club and international level, but who his fellow players are queuing up to pay tribute to.
They laud his positive influence on the team, a team that may have issues at centre back after Rio Ferdinand was ruled out with a knee injury, while John Terry’s personal problems have rarely been out of the headlines. Ferdinand – due to be the captain – had to be replaced in the squad by Tottenham’s Michael Dawson, with Gerrard taking over the armband.
Capello has called up experienced duo Ledley King and Jamie Carragher, with the pair ready to compete with Matthew Upson for the place alongside Terry.
There is another question mark hovering over the goalkeeper’s position, where one of Robert Green, David James and Joe Hart will start as England’s first choice. All three have their supporters, but all three have their critics too.
The loss of Achilles injury victim David Beckham was met with dismay, but many are looking at the tournament as a chance for younger England talents to emerge, talents such as James Milner, excellent at Aston Villa last season and a midfielder who has made a strong case for a starting XI berth for his country, but so too have several of the squad members.
The Three Lions have a group of players that will be the envy of the vast majority of nations at the finals, and they have a terrific chance to finally repeat that success of 1966.
England expects, as it always does.
The task now is for Capello to deliver.
England squad
1 David JAMES (Portsmouth)
2 Glen JOHNSON (Liverpool)
3 Ashley COLE (Chelsea)
4 Steven GERRARD (Liverpool)
5 Michael DAWSON (Tottenham)
6 John TERRY (Chelsea)
7 Aaron LENNON (Tottenham)
8 Frank LAMPARD (Chelsea)
9 Peter CROUCH (Tottenham)
10 Wayne ROONEY (Manchester United)
11 Joe COLE (Chelsea)
12 Robert GREEN (West Ham)
13 Stephen WARNOCK (Aston Villa)
14 Gareth BARRY (Manchester City)
15 Matthew UPSON (West Ham)
16 James MILNER (Aston Villa)
17 Shaun WRIGHT-PHILLIPS (Manchester City)
18 Jamie CARRAGHER (Liverpool)
19 Jermain DEFOE (Tottenham)
20 Ledley KING (Tottenham)
21 Emile HESKEY (Aston Villa)
22 Michael CARRICK (Manchester United)
23 Joe HART (Manchester City)
For previews of England's Group C opponents click here:
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Algeria-a12353
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-preview-Slovenia-a12356
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-USA-a12357
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