CULTURAL MAGAZINE

Fabio Capello believes England will be "in a perfect situation physically and psychologically" when their World Cup campaign begins in earnestsul serio on Saturday against the USA. Three weeks of intensive training at altitude, in Austria and at their Royal Bafokeng sports campus base, will culminate in the opening Group C game in Rustenburg. Capello has decided his line-up for what appears, on paper, to be England's hardest game in the group but will only tell the players, including the goalkeepers, a couple of hours before kick-off.

The Italian is convinced his side are ready. "It's been a really long period before the first game, but I think we're fitin forma now to play against the USA," he said. "I'm really happy with the training we made here and, therefore, the situation of the players. I'm upsetpreoccupato with Rio's [Ferdinand] injury because any player dreams of playing in the World Cup, but this is the only problem that upsets me at the moment.

"In the last few [friendly] games I was upset because I didn't see the spirit on the pitch. But I understand why because the players saw on television that a lot of other players were being injured in friendly games. For this reason, I think they missed tacklescontrasti and got the ball back slowly.

"It was like soft training and I don't like that too much. But, in training here in our camp, I saw everything I wanted to see. We've improved from when we started in Austria and improved a lot here. I'm sure that, in the game we will play versus the USA, we will be in a perfect situation physically and psychologically."

James Milner missed training for a second successive day today, the midfieldercentrocampista laid low by a high temperature, which puts his participation on Saturday in doubt. That would suggest a starting place for Joe Cole on the left of midfield. All three goalkeepersportieri - David James, Robert Green and Joe Hart - remain on tenterhookssulle spine as to who will begin against the USA.

"I've decided [the goalkeeper], I know," Capello said. "I know the 11 that will play on Saturday, the names. I hope, over the next day in training, all the players will stay fit. We have improved a lot as a team since my first game [against Switzerland in February 2008]. We found the spirit, we found a lot of different systems of play during games, and we changed a lot. And a lot of the players know me better now."

Asked whether he expects Wayne Rooney to impose his qualities on the tournament, the England coach said: " I hope solo spero . He is in a good moment. He has trained very well. He is another who has started scoring goals in training, and I hope he will play a fantastic World Cup."