Thaindian News

London, May 5 (IANS) England coach Fabio Capello has sent team doctor Ian Beasley to all training grounds of several Premier League clubs this week to make a final check on the fitness of players before the Italian names his provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup next Tuesday.

The Times, London, reported that Beasly will tour Carrington, Manchester United’s training HQ, where he will ask for updates from the club’s medical staff on Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Owen Hargreaves.

Although only the first two are “definites”, Capello would like to have Brown’s versatility at his disposal in South Africa, the very quality that still gives Hargreaves, who made his first appearance for United in 18 months Sunday, a faint chance of making the training squad.

Beasley is also expected to visit Liverpool to check on Glen Johnson, Tottenham, where he will ask for feedback on Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone and Ledley King, before taking a final look at Fulham’s Bobby Zamora who has been struggling with an Achilles injury for the past month.

David James, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and, potentially, Bobby Zamora, the striker who has been essential to Fulham’s European exploits, will also be assessed.

Those 30 players will participate in a pre-tournament training camp that encompasses friendly matches against Mexico at Wembley May 24 and Japan in Graz, Austria, six days later, before Capello trims the squad to 23, June 1.