Coached by stern Italian Fabio Capello, the England squad is seemingly on an upward curve.

Capello, a proven success at club level across Europe, has built upon the defensive solidity of Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand and Chelsea skipper John Terry, and successfully blended the midfield talents of Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Chelsea's Frank Lampard. With United's multi-talented Wayne Rooney added to the mix, there is great hope this English squad can enjoy more success on the international stage.

The England squad certainly needs to sharpen up, as they have flattered to deceive in recent years. Under previous managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren, they often disappointed.

Since the advent of the Premier League in the early 1990s, English footballers such as David Beckham have enjoyed a stellar profile as global TV audiences tune in to watch what many regard as the best league in the world. Unfortunately, when the players who star for the major clubs gather together to play for the England squad, their form dips and confidence ebbs away.

It seemed Swedish coach Eriksson, the first foreigner to take charge of the England squad, had the guile to bring success, but his teams froze at the highest stage and fell at the quarter-final stages of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and the 2004 European Championships in Portugal.

His replacement, McClaren, fared even worse and the England squad failed to qualify for Euro 2008, so the English FA looked abroad again for their coach and Capello has made a fine start.

The real test, though, comes in the finals of a major tournament and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will be Capello's defining challenge for the England squad.