Capello issues warning to England stars!

Rio Ferdinand, David James and Steven Gerrard have been given a stark warning to sort out their fitness issues if they want to be in Fabio Capello’s squad for the World Cup finals.

With the tournament being played in South Africa’s winter, meaning there will be a cool, damp climate, Capello is concerned that any player who is not at 100% will take longer to fully recover.

That means Capello plans to be extra careful when naming his 23-man England squad for the finals.

Rio Ferdinand has struggled with his fitness all season, which has in turn affected his form. And Steven Gerrard has played just 25 minutes for his club in the last month as a groin injury continues to trouble him. David James struggles to train.

“The players that will be with us in South Africa will be all fit,” Capello said. “If you go to South Africa and try to recover there, it will be no good.

“It will not be warm which makes it easier to recover. It will be cold in South Africa for the World Cup. It’s impossible to wait for a player. Little injuries, okay, but anyone suffering bigger problems, they will not be there.

“Rio is absolutely one of the best centre-backs in the world. As a player I have no worries about him. But he needs to be really fit and playing every game.

“Right now he has some problems with his back and he has to train more.”

Sven Goran Eriksson included David Beckham in the 2002 squad and Wayne Rooney in 2006 when both were recovering from broken a broken metatarsal. It seems unlikely Capello will go down the same route.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Ledley King, who is battling a long-term knee injury and only trains once a week, will not go to the World Cup and a doubt remains over James, England’s first choice goalkeeper.

“We have spoken about King and it is impossible for him to come with us,” Capello said. “He trains only on a Friday to play on a Saturday.

“We are following David James. He’s playing well but his problem is he can’t train two days running. It’s a problem we have to decide, but we have time.

“But I am not worried about the goalkeepers, we have Robert Green, we have Ben Foster, but James has a problem.”

Capello added that next week’s match against Brazil will act as a good barometer as he begins to fine-tune his preparations for the finals.

“The match will be important for us to understand where we are. We will be against players who are at a really high level. They will pose the sort of problems we will have to face at the World Cup.

“When Brazil started their qualification they had some problems but step by step they have improved. They are strong, defending well and really dangerous with their forwards and their movement without the ball.

“They play like a team now, not waiting for a stroke of genius from one player …and it will be a great test for us.”