England Benefit From Italian Industry

Alright, so I had a good feeling about the World Cup in Germany as well. I thought we'd win then with our "golden generation", but with hindsight that was never going to happen as soon as Wayne Rooney was less than 100% fit, Michael Owen got injured against Sweden and Sven Goran Eriksson belatedly decided Theo Walcott should have been building sandcastles on a family holiday rather than cluttering up the England squad without playing a single first team game for Arsenal.

Ah Sven, good old lady loving Sven. Three major tournaments, three quarter-final exits. At least we were consistent and, it could be argued, with a bit of better luck in penalty shoot outs we may, indeed, have gone on to win something.

Sadly, this is just what ifs and buts. Sport is full of them. I might have been a professional footballer if I'd had a bit more talent, natural athleticism and desire.

But with Fabio Capello at the helm, England have a manager who keeps the ifs and buts to a minimum. England have been ruthlessly efficient in their qualifying campaign and appear to have a tactical flexibility which will be vital when we actually come up against anyone half decent.

England also have a core of players who are good enough to win football's ultimate prize. Rooney is, of course, the talisman. a player good enough to get into any national team and it is imperative he remains fit and healthy. We don't want any last minute fitness races at the end of this season thanks very much!

And then we have the likes of Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott....oh alright as much as it pains me to say it, Frank Lampard as well, players who are good enough to at least hold their own against the world's best.

Yet, it isn't always the team with the best players who win major tournaments. Unlike a league campaign, a World Cup tournament lasts a few weeks and the winners will only play seven games.

It is about the team or squad which can adapt quickest to the needs of the tournament while also finding something approaching its best form. Indeed, it is normally the case that the team who triumphs tends to improve as the games go by, rather than starting and finishing impressively.

In 2006, the two finalists France and Italy were both widely criticised in the group stages, as were England back in 1990 for those of us who can remember that far back.

And that is where Capello comes in. He is an iron-willed pragmatist who will drill what is necessary into his players without letting them get caught up in the hype and hyperbole which will inevitably follow them.

England will travel to South Africa focused on the job in hand, not what their wives are wearing or how many column inches they have got in that days newspapers.

They will be in the best possible frame of mind to get the job done and with a bit of luck along the way, we might just be partying in the streets next summer.