WIGAN'S Spanish manager Roberto Martinez believes England have to be considered as one of the major contenders in South Africa next summer.
Fabio Capello's side qualified for the World Cup finals in style with a 5-1 win over Croatia last night to extend their 100% record to eight games.
European champions Spain also booked their ticket last night and are currently joint favourites along with Brazil.
Martinez said of England: "I think they are a clear example of how to make sure top-class individuals play as a team.
"Since Fabio Capello took over, the England side is extremely strong in every department but you can see different areas in their approach.
"Their performance last night was outstanding. They made the game against Croatia look like a training session, which is strong words in world football.
"It shows you that the World Cup is getting ready for one of the most exciting ones we have had recently with two or three European sides we should consider as favourites, and that does not happen too often.
"If you look at the qualifying rounds, Holland, England, Spain are in top condition.
"Obviously anything can happen between now and the World Cup. As we all know there are two or three players in every national team who make the difference and are above everyone else - injuries to these players could affect that.
"We are looking in a healthy position for European football and we should be very excited about how the World Cup will develop."
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Bolton manager Gary Megson sees managing overblown expectations as Capello's main problem.
"I always think we are going to win the World Cup - we have great players, great staff; we have everything going for us in that we have that momentum," said Megson.
"The thing that may cause us problems is talk of us winning it rather than going there and doing our level best.
"I think if we go there and do our best we are well capable of winning it - but it is not for a long time yet.
"Fabio Capello will have to cope with a little bit of Englishness he has not seen before - in that when we get high we go too high, and when we go low it is the opposite.
"We have to accept we have good players, a good team and we have that capability.
"The expectation was that we would qualify, so we have lived up to that expectation."
It is merely a case of so far so good, Megson advises.
"We have done it in style; it has been terrific, and everyone deserves great credit," he added.
"But it now needs putting on the shelf for a little bit and start talking about what we can do in terms of the World Cup when it comes around - because there are a lot of things that can go wrong between now and then.
"You may lose players through injury, which could make us an entirely different squad."
mfl
European champions Spain also booked their ticket last night and are currently joint favourites along with Brazil.
Martinez said of England: "I think they are a clear example of how to make sure top-class individuals play as a team.
"Since Fabio Capello took over, the England side is extremely strong in every department but you can see different areas in their approach.
"Their performance last night was outstanding. They made the game against Croatia look like a training session, which is strong words in world football.
"It shows you that the World Cup is getting ready for one of the most exciting ones we have had recently with two or three European sides we should consider as favourites, and that does not happen too often.
"If you look at the qualifying rounds, Holland, England, Spain are in top condition.
"Obviously anything can happen between now and the World Cup. As we all know there are two or three players in every national team who make the difference and are above everyone else - injuries to these players could affect that.
"We are looking in a healthy position for European football and we should be very excited about how the World Cup will develop."
mfl
Bolton manager Gary Megson sees managing overblown expectations as Capello's main problem.
"I always think we are going to win the World Cup - we have great players, great staff; we have everything going for us in that we have that momentum," said Megson.
"The thing that may cause us problems is talk of us winning it rather than going there and doing our level best.
"I think if we go there and do our best we are well capable of winning it - but it is not for a long time yet.
"Fabio Capello will have to cope with a little bit of Englishness he has not seen before - in that when we get high we go too high, and when we go low it is the opposite.
"We have to accept we have good players, a good team and we have that capability.
"The expectation was that we would qualify, so we have lived up to that expectation."
It is merely a case of so far so good, Megson advises.
"We have done it in style; it has been terrific, and everyone deserves great credit," he added.
"But it now needs putting on the shelf for a little bit and start talking about what we can do in terms of the World Cup when it comes around - because there are a lot of things that can go wrong between now and then.
"You may lose players through injury, which could make us an entirely different squad."
mfl
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