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Crouch keeping fingers crossed

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Peter Crouch is crossing his fingers that his international goalscoring record earns him a place in Fabio Capello’s final 23-man England squad for the World Cup (9/1 Crouch – Top England Goalscorer – World Cup 2010).

The Tottenham striker has scored 20 goals in 37 internationals, but does not feel he is guaranteed to be on the plane to South Africa.

Crouch has formed a formidable attacking partnership with Wayne Rooney, and fired in two goals in England’s most recent international against Egypt.

But the 29-year-old knows the pressure is on him, not only on the field but off it too.

“All I can do is do what I’ve done, give my best and hopefully it’s good enough,” Crouch said at England’s training camp in the Austrian Alps.

“We’ve got fantastic players with England and lot of strength in depth. We’ve got players who’ve scored a lot of goals this year as well. But hopefully my record will stand me in good stead and give me a chance of hopefully starting.”

Capello’s first message to his provisional squad on their arrival in camp was that no-one’s place on the plane to South Africa was guaranteed (11/4 England – Group C – To Qualify).

“In his first meeting he said he’s got to cut the squad down,” Crouch revealed. “He just said, ‘Do as well as you can. Work hard and that day will come when it comes.”

Crouch admits Capello’s rules-based system has come as something of a culture shock.

“You have to be on time, everything,” Crouch said. “Whether it is with regards to footwear, conduct around the hotel – every time you’re being judged.

“My trainers didn’t arrive the other day because our bags didn’t arrive. I had a pair of slippers on and I got pulled up on that. What can I do? I’ve got no trainers!

“I wouldn’t say it makes you nervous but the manager’s definitely got that respect.

“He’s very hands-on. Every training session, he’ll be involved in it and if he sees something he won’t be afraid to tell you and lets you know where he wants you. And he’ll organise you better.

“He’s got a hell of a lot of respect from the lads because of his previous exploits in winning championships and Champions Leagues.”

“Sven was a lot more laid-back, everyone was saying that,” Crouch acknowledged. “This time the atmosphere seems a lot more serious, a lot more focused.

“We’ve always done tactical work but this manager is probably the most tactical I have worked for. Organisation is a key thing for him and having worked for a lot of managers before I’ve always felt that in matches you can always tell the ones who work on the tactical stuff.”

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Hart burning with England desire

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Joe Hart is hoping he can stake a claim for the number one jersey in South Africa with a good performance for England (4/9 in the match betting) in their warm-up match against Mexico (7/1 to win, 3/1 the draw) at Wembley on Monday night.

The 23-year-old enjoyed an outstanding season while on-loan at Birmingham City to earn a place in the preliminary 30-man squad.

The Manchester City ace is certain to be on the plane to South Africa as only two others, David James and Robert Green, have been included in the initial squad, with six players to miss out when Fabio Capello trims the squad for the June 1 deadline.

Hart is certain to feature in tonight’s friendly against Mexico and he admits he cannot wait to take the field to try and do enough to earn him the starting position when the serious business gets underway on June 12.

“It would mean everything to play at Wembley,” Hart told www.thefa.com.

“I don’t really think about it, plan for it or set any goals, because it is an absolute bonus just to be involved in the squads.

“But I will be doing everything in my power to catch the manager’s eye and hopefully get a few more caps to my name.”

Hart has certainly been catching the eye this season and has been lauded by some pundits as England’s best keeper at the moment, although whether Capello would go with someone as inexperienced – one cap against Trinidad & Tobago in June 2008 – remains to be seen.

James had been England’s number one but injury problems led him slipping down the pecking order, with Rob Green taking over as first-choice under Capello, although his club West Ham only just survived in the Premier League after a long relegation battle.

Despite the position seemingly being up for grabs, Hart insists that there is great camaraderie and unity between the three of them and he is learning all the time from being around them.

“The spirit between the keepers is definitely there,” he said.

“We train and work together far more closely than anyone else in the squad.

“We are all different keepers and obviously Jamo and Greeny have got vast experience over me which I am looking to learn off.

“They are two big personalities and great people to be around.”

England are currently the third favourites at 11/2 in the tournament ouright betting, behind favourites Spain at 7/2 and Brazil at 4/1, and Hart has revealed that Capello certainly has the players prepared for what is to come.

“Fabio is a very intense character and that really brushes off on the lads,” said Hart.

“When we are at the stadiums or the training ground it is work time.

“Everything revolves around winning and building a good strong side.”

England are 1/3 favourites to win Group A and open their campaign against USA on June 12, before taking on Algeria six days later and Slovenia on the 23rd.

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Rio grand for World Cup

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England captain Rio Ferdinand insists he will use his lack of game-time over the course of the last season to his advantage at the World Cup finals (England 6/1 Outright).

The Manchester United central defender was handed the Three Lions’ captain’s armband when John Terry was stripped of the honour by coach Fabio Capello following off-field allegations.

But it immediately raised the prospect of England’s skipper in South Africa not being fully fit for the duration of the tournament, with vice-captain Steven Gerrard next in line.

Ferdinand, though, reckons the fact he made just 21 appearances for the Red Devils last term will mean he is fresher.

The 31-year-old said: “All being well I’ll be in tip-top condition come the first game. I’m training hard and have three weeks to get into the World Cup groove.

“How can I not be refreshed? I’m used to playing 40, 50 games a season.

“I have not played anywhere near that amount this year, so I will be going out to the tournament in good condition.

“I am definitely buzzing.”

England kick off their preparations on Monday night with a friendly against Mexico at Wembley and Capello has raised the prospect of Ferdinand playing in a back three (England 4/9, draw 3/1, Mexico 7/1).

The Italian wants to make sure he is prepared for all eventualities as he plots World Cup glory for England for the first time since 1966.

Capello will also rest his players who played in the FA Cup final – David James, Frank Lampard, Terry, Ashley Cole and Joe Cole – so it is likely keepers Rob Green and Joe Hart will play 45 minutes each against the Mexicans.

Capello said: “I will experiment against Mexico.

“I want flexibility in my players. My style with England has always been 4-4-2, or 4-3-1-2 with Steven Gerrard free behind the two forwards.

“But with Roma I played with three centre-backs and we have been practising that. I have to study the opponents but we can play different styles and we have to prepare for everything.

“You never know when you will get an injury, or find yourself 10 against 11.

“Sometimes I have changed the style four or five times in a game, so it is important that we have a lot of options.”

England kick off their Group C campaign against USA on June 12 before games against Algeria and Slovenia (11/2 Group C To Produce The Winner).

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Capello feeling the pressure

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England coach Fabio Capello has spoken of the pressure he feels in the job, saying he feels it more than he did at Real Madrid or AC Milan.

Capello had an outstanding qualifying campaign for the World Cup, and England go into the tournament rated as third favourites at 6/1 to win the trophy, behind Spain at 4/1 and five-time winners Brazil at 5/1.

But he said that one of the biggest frustrations he has encountered is not being able to work with his players more often.

“Obviously, it’s a very different job being a national manager rather than a club manager,” he said.

“The pressure is bigger as England manager because behind the national manager and the team you have the country. The country expects a lot and the fans believe a lot in the team.”

He added: “As a club manager you can work with your players every day, you can train to improve and study what happened and why in between each game and you can usually rectify things quickly.

“As England manager, I can do a lot of in-depth preparation and then there’s an injury and everything I have prepared is for nothing.”

The 63-year-old Italian said: “For me, the World Cup is a really big challenge. I think England are one of the best teams in the world and we can win against anyone.

“My approach to the World Cup is relaxed now. I have to study the other countries we will be playing against and hope that everything we are preparing will be ready for the tournament.”

One of his major concerns is the “quality of the pitches” in South Africa, Capello said, which is why he has been so obsessive about England’s training facilities in Rustenburg, before adding: “But my most important hope is that all of my best players will be injury-free and available to play in the World Cup.”

That hope is currently being tested, not least with first-choice midfielder Gareth Barry struggling to recover in time from an ankle injury.

Capello, in an interview with The Manager magazine, reiterated his belief that Wayne Rooney (10/1 to finish as the tournament’s top goalscorer) is “one of the best players in the world” and, once again, compared him to the Spanish striker Raúl, who he coached during his two spells in charge of Real, in terms of his influence.

“Wayne Rooney is one of the best talents I have ever coached,” the Italian added.

“He’s like Raúl, in that he’s a very important player and a big talent. Every time Rooney trains he wants to learn and he always wants to stay on that training pitch for as long as possible.

“It’s really important that the other players see that Rooney, one of the best players in the world, wants to stay on the pitch and wants to continue to learn.”

It’s a process that Capello, also, continues to undertake and he offered an insight into his own managerial philosophy.

“Instinct does play a part but you also have to be able to understand your players,” he said. “When your players are all in good form it is easy but you have to realise this is not always going to be the case.

“You have to be able to react when they lose form and make changes during a game and even during training sessions.”

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Gomez set for chance to shine

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Striker Hercules Gomez could get his chance to impress boss Bob Bradley for the USA ( 4/1 to win Group C) in two friendlies next week ahead of the World Cup, with the coach exploring his options for replacing Charlie Davies, who is recovering from car crash injuries.

Gomez has been in excellent form this year, and has been joint top scorer in the Mexican championship where he has scored 10 goals in 14 matches for Puebla and earned his selection in the initial party of 30.

“Hercules comes off the season very well,” Bradley said at the squad’s training camp.

“Certainly we take notice of that and it’s good to see how he’ll fit in and play in this stretch.”

Gomez, who has played only twice before for the national side, could feature in friendlies against Czech Republic on Tuesday and Turkey four days later.

Bradley needs to find a replacement for Davies, who was injured last October in a car accident that killed another passenger. He has resumed light training with his French club Sochaux but did not get medical clearance in time to make the squad.

The U.S. are drawn with England (1/3 favourites to top the group), Algeria (12/1) and Slovenia (9/1) in Group C at the finals starting on June 11.

Gomez’s call-up to the 30-man provisional squad came after a decade-long journey through Major League Soccer (MLS) teams and lower-level U.S. clubs, before he hit the big time in Mexico, the country of his parents, where U.S. players are rare.

“It was a huge deal. I became only the second player in my club’s history (to be top scorer),” said Gomez.

“They really took to me and treated me as one of their own. I was never treated like an outsider.”

His Puebla team mates did, though, tease him. “I was always the ’soldier boy’,” Gomez, 28, told Reuters. “They’d do the American soldier voice, or like in the movies, a robot, like (Arnold) Schwarzenegger.”

Gomez said he was realistic about his chances of making the cut when the squad is trimmed to 23 players.

“I definitely have 29 players in front of me,” he said.

Gomez, who can score with his head and either foot, has attracted attention for his goal-scoring feats and said he had been getting offers from clubs.

“My agent handles those. I concentrate on the soccer and my only goal is this camp,” he said.

Could he say where the offers were coming from? “Yes, but I’m only here to talk about U.S. soccer.”

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Parreira hit by midfield blow

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South Africa (21/10 to qualify from Group A) midfielder Andile Jali’s place in the World Cup is under threat after he was sent to the USA for tests on his heart.

Jali, who is only 20 and made his international debut earlier this year, had a mild cardiovascular condition detected in routine tests of players in the 30-man preliminary World Cup squad, the South African Football Association (SAFA) said.

The midfielder was tested twice after a routine assessment found a possible heart problem and a second medical opinion was sought.

The second test, communicated to the association last Monday, confirmed the initial findings.

“SAFA is heeding a doctor’s recommendation that Jali travel to the University of Florida Gainsville Medical Centre in the United States as this facility has a track record of dealing with athletes in this area of medicine,” an SAFA statement said.

“It is envisaged that Jali’s tests will be performed in time for him to be available for the finalisation of the squad.”

The report into his fitness needs to be compiled quickly, as coach Carlos Alberto Parreira wants to name his 23-man squad for the tournament on Monday.

Jali, who plays for Orlando Pirates in the Premier Soccer League, has played three times for Bafana Bafana, and can be used as a defensive or attacking midfielder.

Meanwhile, South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira will go into the tournament with realistic expectations of his country’s potential, drawn alongside France (1/3 favourites to qualify from the group), Mexico (4/5) and Uruguay (Evens).

“We are number 90 in the world now, so we are going to be underdogs in our group,” said Parreira.

“But I’m telling you these boys are working hard and we are going to surprise many people in the World Cup. I’m telling you we will surprise you. Don’t think we are going to be easy target for the other teams.

“It won’t happen… we have been watching our opponents and we are more concerned about is Mexico, because they have been playing so many games with different teams, but we know in their last three (friendly) games against England, Italy and Holland they will play with their main team. We will be ready for them,” declared Parreira.

The 1994 World Cup-winning coach with Brazil admitted he is losing sleep over who to drop from the provisional squad as the June 1 deadline fast approaches for the final 23-man squad submission to FIFA.

“It is going to be very hard for me to decide who to leave behind. All of them deserve to be there, but unfortunately I can only keep 23 players.

“They are doing their best and it makes it difficult for me to leave out even five players. All of them deserve to be in the squad… the way they are performing and the way they are focused. It will be difficult for me to cut the squad,” the 67-year-old admitted.

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No holding back for Fallon

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New Zealand striker Rory Fallon fears that either his side or Australia may pick up injuries when the two teams meet in Melbourne on Monday (1/4 Paraguay 4/1 draw 8/1 New Zealand – match betting).

Fallon, who scored the only goal of the game last November to book the All Whites’ place in the World Cup, is looking forward to the warm-up match.

But he says the fixture is a friendly in name only, and both sides will be going all-out for the victory.

Fallon, 28, said the traditional trans-Tasman rivalry gave the fixture at the Melbourne Cricket Ground an extra edge.

“When it comes to playing Australia, all bets are off,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few injuries. I don’t think anyone is going to hold back against them. I’m certainly not going to hold back.”

Fallon said Australia, who are also headed to the World Cup, wouldn’t want to suffer a defeat at the hands of what they might consider to be a lesser soccer nation (12/1 New Zealand – Group F To Qualify).

“They probably say they have a lot better pros and they won’t want to lose this, and we want to win it,” he said.

“It’s going to be a good game. It’s going to be one of those games where everyone is going to get stuck in.”

Fallon admits he still can’t get over how important his headed goal against Bahrain was for the country.

“I see that goal and every time I just say, ‘Thank you, God for giving me that goal’ – it’s just changed my life, especially in New Zealand,” he said.

“No-one knew who I was. That goal has changed everything. It is such a blessing to me and, every time I see it, it gives me goose pimples.”

After Australia, the All Whites have further friendlies against Serbia in the Austrian city of Klagenfurt on May 29 and Slovenia in Maribor on June 5.

While his immediate focus is the World Cup, Fallon’s future beyond that remains up in the air.

His English club, Plymouth Argyle, lost its battle with relegation and will be in the third-tier League One next season.

Fallon, who has an ambition to play in the English Premier League, hoped that some strong performances in South Africa might put him in the shop window.

“If I have a great World Cup, who knows, I could be going anywhere,” he said.

“I’m going to work so hard. This is my chance to do something really worthy, so I’m not going to let it slip through my fingers.”

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Henry keen on US switch?

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Barcelona star Thierry Henry could be set to join MLS side New York Red Bulls after the World Cup, according to compatriot David Trezeguet. (France 16/1 to win World Cup)

Henry has been tipped to leave the Nou Camp this summer after falling down the striking pecking order and with David Villa now on board with the Catalans.

Former club Juventus have been linked with the Arsenal legend, while Premiership side West Ham United have also shown an interest in the 32-year-old, with club co-owner David Sullivan saying he has made the player an offer which would make him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.

But rumours of a switch stateside will not go away and Trezeguet, who is currently with Juve to play against the Red Bulls in an exhibition match, revealed that his former France team-mate has always been keen to play in the USA at some stage of his career.

“I actually don’t know very much about it. I know that he wanted very much to have an experience here in the United States,” he said. “I don’t know if it will be next year, but in any event, I definitely wish him all the best.”

France kick off their 2010 World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 11 and are the even money favourites to win that clash with the South Americans on offer at 13/5 and the draw priced at 9/4.

Henry is by no means a certainty to start for the French in South Africa as he has failed to recapture his Arsenal form at Barcelona, and it may be that he is used as an impact player from the bench towards the end of matches.

Another star who has been tipped to move to America is Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero, but the 35-year-old made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Juventus just yet.

When asked if he could return to New York as a player in the near future, Del Piero made it clear that he will still play in Turin next season.

“I have no idea; perhaps I will come one more time here on holiday,” he said. “For sure I know that next year I will be wearing the Juventus jersey. But, who knows. Anything can happen.”

Italy are priced at 12/1 to defend their World Cup title this year but will be without Del Piero, whose international days are now behind him, and he can bask in the glory of scoring a penalty in the shoot-out that won the Italians the sport’s most prestigious prize four years ago.

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Gerrard over Liverpool woes

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Steven Gerrard has insisted he is happy with his form as England prepare for next month’s World Cup (6/1 to lift the trophy) and believes he is back to something like his best.

The midfield lynchpin has endured a disappointing season with Liverpool, who only finished seventh in the league after pushing Manchester United all the way the previous year and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stages only to get knocked out of the Europa League in the semi-finals.

The Anfield giants were also sent packing from the FA Cup after losing at home to Reading and were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Arsenal’s young guns.

Gerrard did not have the best season on a personal level as he was hampered by injury and struggled for consistency, and has been linked with a move away in the summer following claims he has fallen out with boss Rafael Benitez.

However, the 29-year-old has insisted he has put his Liverpool troubles behind him and believes he is rediscovering his best form with the summer showpiece only days away.

“It has been a difficult season – personally and for the Liverpool group as a whole – because we’ve under-achieved,” Gerrard said.

“It has been really tough dealing with those setbacks.

“But now we are here for England, it is important club issues are put to one side.
“The good thing is my form has come back closer to where I want it to be.

“At the moment I am feeling good. I finished the season quite strongly personally.”

England begin their campaign on June 12 and are 1/3 favourites to win Group C, with USA available at 4/1, Slovenia at 9/1 and Algeria the outsiders at 12/1.

Fabio Capello’s men kick off against USA on June 12 and are strongly fancied at 8/15 to take the three points, with the Americans priced at 5/1 and the draw at 11/4.

Gerrard has also emphasised how important Wayne Rooney (10/1 to finish as the tournament’s top goalscorer) is to England’s chances of going far in the competition.

“Wayne’s form this season has been up there as one of the best players in the world,” he said.

“As a team-mate, you are hoping and keeping your fingers crossed that he stays fit and carries that form on into the World Cup.

“He is our key man, he is great to have around the place, off the field as well.

“He is a big player for us, and hopefully he can stay away from injury.”

David Villa is currently the favourite at 9/1 to top the scoring charts with Spain outright favourites at 4/1 to lift the World Cup, while Brazil’s Luis Fabiano and Argentina’s Lionel Messi are both available at 10/1 to win the Golden Boot.

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Dutch duo in final shootout

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Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder make a triumphant return to the Bernabeu Stadium tonight less than ten months after being sold off by Real Madrid to make way for Ronaldo and Kaka.

The Dutch duo were flogged to Bayern Munich and Inter respectively within a day of each other as Real sought to recover some cash after the outrageous expenditure to sign the Portuguese and Brazilian ex-World Players of the Year.

Both players have excelled in their new surroundings this season and arrive in Madrid to contest a Champions League final which will see one of their clubs win a treble.

Robben (5/1 joint favourite in Totesport’s Sky Man of the Match market) inspired Bayern’s two incredible knockout victories over Fiorentina and Manchester United, both on the away goals rule.

He scored a penalty and induced a red-card for an Italian opponent in the first-leg of Bayern’s second round clash at home to the Serie A club, but saved a greater impact for the second leg in Florence when he danced around would-be tacklers to fire in an unstoppable 25-yard drive to ensure qualification.

It remains arguably the goal of the competition and could colour the thoughts of Sky’s studio panel when they come to name the Man of the Match tonight if no outstanding candidate emerges from the clash.

Robben’s knockout blow against Manchester United and his instantly-recognisable face from years spent at Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea could also lead the likes of Jamie Redknapp and compatriot Ruud Gullit to nominate him if Bayern take the spoils.

Wesley Sneijder’s Real Madrid career mirrored that of Robben’s almost exactly, they were signed within a fortnight of each other  and disposed of in similar circumstances,  albeit having built different reputations at the club.

While Robben remained the consummate professional, Sneijder was known to have liked the Madrid nightlife.

He was disciplined by Real over his conduct at a time when off the field, his marriage was collapsing.

The former Ajax starlet (5/1 joint favourite in Totesport’s Sky Man of the Match market) has flourished under Mourinho at Inter and been almost equally important to his team’s Champions League fate as Robben – although he probably has had a slightly better supporting cast to work alongside with Diego Milito, Lucio and Samuel Eto’o also contributing to big wins over Chelsea and FC Barcelona.

But Sneijder’s ability to knit the midfield together and provide cunning balls to the frontmen has caught the eye of Sky commentator Andy Gray during Inter’s incredible run and he may cast his vote for the Dutchman if Mourinho’s tactics win out.

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