England avoid difficult World Cup teams in draw

England's bid for 2010 Football World Cup glory was given a big boost at the draw when they avoided most of the big names and were placed with USA, Algeria and Slovenia.

 

Saturday, June 12 2010
19.30 England - USA Royal Bafokeng Stadium

Friday, June 18 2010
19.30 England - Algeria Green Point Stadium

Wednesday, June 23 2010
15.00 Slovenia - England Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

 

England coach Fabio Capello said that Spain and Brazil were England's biggest threat in the world cup.

 

"If you want to win then you have to play the great sides but I have confidence in my team," Capello said on the sidelines of England presenting its bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

 

"We have played all the top teams. For me, Spain is good and Brazil is very, very good."

 

"But I think the teams from Africa could surprise. I saw Ivory Coast and they really surprised me. And Cameroon are one of the best teams from the continent."

 

England are expected to base themselves in Rustenburg, about two hours drive from Johannesburg, for the tournament from June 11-July 11 next year although Capello is concerned about the quality of the training pitches there.

 

"The pitches at the grounds are very good and the facilities are fantastic, but the training pitches are not great. But we have time," he said.

 

"Rustenburg is one of our options."

 

If England win their group, they could play Ghana, Australia or Serbia in the second round but if they finish runners-up a probable meeting with Germany awaits.

 

Speaking after the World Cup draw had been released David Beckham said, "It's always good to be seeded and be up there with the best teams in the world but in the World Cup it's not about staying away from certain teams."

 

"If you want to go all the way in the competition you have to come up against them at some point." he told the Press Association.

 

"You are going to have to beat the best teams and the best players, so it doesn't really matter when you come up against them."