Despite losing Rio Ferdinand to a tournament-ending injury in training, England coach Fabio Capello has no plans to rest key players for the team’s final World Cup training match.
England takes on South African Premier League side the Platinum Stars — who are based near its Rustenburg training camp — on Monday, with Capello keen to observe his planned starters for Saturday’s World Cup opener against the United States.
“I have to play all the players that will play against the USA. for 45 minutes or 60 minutes,” Capello said. “I don’t know if it is a major risk. I touch wood. We have to be careful about injuries but we have to prepare for that game. I know what can happen (with injuries), but that is the job. What do you do? Swim and not play? You have to train. Sometimes you try to be careful and it still doesn’t work,” he said.
Monday’s friendly is the last chance for Capello to test a new central defensive partner for John Terry.
Capello’s options are Ledley King, Jamie Carragher, Matthew Upson, who missed training again on Sunday with a high temperature and was restricted to gym work, or Michael Dawson, who was flown to South Africa as a replacement for Ferdinand. — AP