“Some people are on the pitch"

“Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over…it is now.” The infamous words that have become synonymous with England’s World Cup hopes over the past forty years are ringing in our ears once more as South Africa 2010 moves onto the horizon.

England will be awash with familiarity in the next 22 days. Cars with St George’s crosses hanging out of their sides, giant England flags attached to garage doors and bedroom windows, wall chart pullouts from newspapers and of course, the great English belief that 2010 is the year that Fabio Capello and England will recreate history and bring home the greatest prize of all.

The debates are already rife in pubs and bars across the land as to whom Mr. Capello should select to carry the hopes of a nation. There are unanswered questions, which for many so-called experts are questioned that should have been answered months ago. Like who is England’s number 1? Who will deputize for the injured Ferdinand or Rio? Who will play on the left? Will Heskey or Bent be in the final 23? Yet one of the major misconceptions amongst journalists is that they always think they know more than the England manager. Of course this is not the case when you are talking about a world-class tacticians like Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini.

In Capello England trust. Trust to make the right decision based on the right training sessions and right motivation and mindset. The Italian has already defied conventional wisdom and selected Adam Johnson, Darren Bent and Tom Huddlestone in his 30 strong squad for the upcoming two friendlies. Capello is a man who began his England career by laying down the law to players and to the press by claiming England had no world-class players and the media were stupid if they thought we did.

In order to win the World Cup, England will have to play to their strengths which, like it or not, may not be fast flowing attacking football, because we simply cannot compete with the Spanish, Brazilians or Argies. Defend for your lives however, rough the opposition up, tackle hard, show the grit and determination the likes of which has made the Barclays Premier League the envy of the world, and England all of a sudden become an international force.

There is not doubt that England is not the best team in the competition. There is no doubt England only have 1 world-class player in Wayne Rooney. Yet it is also true that the best teams don’t always win the World Cup. Moments of madness from the most brilliant of players can make or break tournaments, just ask Zindane. A team full of stars doesn’t necessarily produce World Champions, just ask Argentina. But a team who works hard, takes their chances, has a manager who can motivate his team and outwit his counterpart, has every chance of lifting the famous trophy.

I believe England is a team with a hard-working ethos, built to last and endure not simply to flatter. And so, in the first ever winter world cup, on the continent where human life began, perhaps the beautiful game’s most famous trophy will come home to the land of football’s birth.

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart
Robert Green
David James

Defenders

Glen Johnson
Stephen Warnock
Leighton Baines
Michael Dawson
Jamie Carragher
Ledley King
Rio Ferdinand
John Terry
Matthew Upson
Ashley Cole

Midfielders

Adam Johnson
James Milner
Tom Huddlestone
Steven Gerrard
Michael Carrick
Frank Lampard
Scott Parker
Gareth Barry

Attacking Midfielders

Aaron Lennon
Joe Cole
Shaun Wright-Phillips

Strikers

Theo Walcott
Wayne Rooney
Darren Bent
Jermain Defoe
Emile Heskey
Peter Crouch

Manager: Fabio Capello

Gavin Callaghan