England Team Doctor On Call To World Cup Hopefuls

The 2010 World Cup England team doctor Ian Beasley has set off to visit the training grounds of several premier league clubs to make a series assessments of the fitness of some key players. The checks come just days before Capello names his 30 man squad for the world cup this summer.

Beasley plans to make a lengthy stop at Carrington, the training ground of Manchester United, because of Manager Capello's interest in several of the club's main players. Beasley has been instructed to check up on 'world cup definites' Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand but also to ask for updates on 'potentials' Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Owen Hargreaves.

Sources say the doctor will also be heading to Liverpool to check on Glen Johnson, to Fulham for a look at Bobby Zamora and also Tottenham where he will look into Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone and Ledley King.

Beasley will also check up on team definite David James, Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Jermain Defoe and Steven Gerrard and their fitness will be taken into consideration before organising the team.

Capello will then make his choices for his 30-strong team who will begin a training camp which includes friendly matches against Mexico and Japan. Following this, Capello will narrow the team down to 23-man in preparation for the World Cup.

David Beckham, the most experienced international player set to join the squad in South Africa, is no longer in competition due to an achillies injury he sustained earlier in the year playing for Italian club AC Milan. Experts say this years World cup was his last chance at achieving another cap and his injury taken that from him.

So far England has performed strongly in the qualifying rounds, gaining eight victories in eight games. But the same goes for rivals Brazil, France and Spain who have had similar fortune and could shape up to make the competition interesting. Experts predict at least a semi-final appearance and hope for more.