The final England squad selections for the South Africa World Cup 2010 finals are posing a difficult test for coach Fabio Capello due to the number of niggling and serious injuries affecting key players.

Who should make the plane for the South Africa World Cup 2010 finals? How much should England coach Fabio Capello focus on the injury status of his players? Should key players go if they are not fully fit? Should Wayne Rooney go to South Africa if he is not fully fit? – most people would say yes to the latter – still difficult times and choices for Fabio Capello who if he is faced with too many injuries to key players may have an insurmountable task in South Africa.

Time is running out. On Monday May 17 the 30 man preliminary England Squad flies to Austria for high altitude training in Irdning. On 24 May Wembley Stadium hosts the friendly between England and Mexico and on 30 May the England team plays Japan in a friendly in Graz, Austria, their last warm up game. On June 1 Fabio Capello must name his 23 man final squad for the World Cup 2010 finals in South Africa.

Despite an impressive qualification campaign the announcement of Fabio Capello’s 30 man pre World Cup finals squad has for many triggered a few alarm bells. Perhaps the most concerning of all is the injury status of Wayne Rooney, the PFA player and FWA Footballer of the Year who has been out of sorts of late missing games due to a recurring groin problem and a sprained ankle. Here are some of the injury problems affecting Capello’s England team, posing a mixture of squad selection dilemma and World Cup heartache.

David Beckham- England star David Beckham is ruled out because of an Achilles injury and will not play again until later in the year.

Ledley King – The at times world class Ledley King suffers from a serious long term knee problem which has hampered his ability to make a permanent central defensive spot for the England team and a regular playing role for Spurs. Having said that he has played in several concurrent games for Tottenham recently so fingers crossed he could have a decent run in the finals. A must for South Africa as long he is able to play in a handful of games in the finals.

Owen Hargreaves – England’s best player of the 2006 World Cup finals has been out all season and unlikely to go to the World Cup 2010 finals in South Africa. Has only recently returned from a 19-month spell out with a serious knee condition and has played just one minute of football this season. Some say Hargreaves could still yet make a sensational final squad inclusion based on last minute fitness tests. Who knows?

Bobby Zamora – Many England football fans felt Fulham star Zamora should have made the plane to South Africa, given his outstanding form this year for Fulham. Zamora has finally shown off the mature all round centre forward that Zamora has promised to be for some years. It is not just his goal scoring record this year, impressive as it is, but his ability to hold the ball up under pressure which could create a fine partnership with Wayne Rooney. Zamora has been struggling with an Achilles injury and was taken off, limping during Fulham’s defeat to Athletico Madrid in the Uefa Europa League cup final in Hamburg. Has now ruled himself out of appearing in South Africa.

Gareth Barry – Currently injured with ligament damage although hopefully he should be ready for the start of the finals in June. Not ideal situation though and obviously a concern for Capello. Last minute injury checks could decide his fate for the plane to South Africa.

Rio Ferdinand – The recent England captain has struggled with injuries all season and has not always looked at his best when he has played. Suffering from back and groin problems. A concern for Capello that he will be fit for South Africa and if he goes will be able to make a proper impact.

Aaron Lennon – Out of action from December until April with a groin injury but recovering and likely to appear in South Africa.

Glen Johnson – A niggling calf problem affects the talented right back although expected to be fine for South Africa.

Some of the main injury worries for Capello. It is not all doom and gloom though. More uplifting news on the injury front is that former England captain John Terry has come through an injury scare. The Chelsea midfielder John Terry was taken to hospital this week after suffering an injury to his right foot in training. It was initially feared Terry broke a metatarsal bone which would have ruled him out of the World Cup finals but he was given the all clear.

Other good news includes Ashley Cole who fractured his ankle early in the year but has been back fully fit for Chelsea and has looked imperious. Joe Cole is also back to fitness after his serious knee injury which has left him out of playing for much of the season; and has been showing signs of his memorable form of the last World Cup finals. Young PFA Player of the Year James Milner has recovered from his Achilles injury. Star players Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard; and in form goalkeeper Joe Hart and experienced keeper David James are both fully fit, along with speedy squad players Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright Phillips.

Still testing times for Capello? It’s not just reputation making decisions but more than anything fitness it seems. Who should go? Should Capello take only fully fit players or is it worth the gamble to take players with niggling injury concerns? The countdown is on. England opens the World Cup on June 12 against the United States.

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