Ben Foste Is A Future England Save Hand-Peter Shilton

Peter Shilton has urged Fabio Capello to hand Ben Foster the chance to prove he can be England's first-choice goalkeeper at next year's World Cup in South Africa.
Foster's status was bolstered by his match-winning performance for Manchester United in the League Cup final against Tottenham earlier this month, with his heroics earning him a call-up to Capello's squad for Saturday's friendly against Slovakia and Wednesday's qualifier against Ukraine.

Shilton, England's record caps holder with 125 appearances, would welcome a challenge to 38-year-old current number one David James, although he stressed that Robert Green of West Ham was also in contention.

"I would like to see a young goalkeeper now in the next few games and for next season really start to put some pressure on the England goalkeeping spot," said Shilton.

"David James has always been a terrifically gifted goalkeeper, but he lost his place because of making errors on a regular basis for England.

"So although he is our most experienced goalkeeper, you can't really put your cards totally on David.

"It is very interesting to see Ben Foster getting over his injury.

He had a big chance in a big game and performed exceptionally well for Manchester United in the League Cup final.

"He is somebody who has always looked the part, but still has a lot to prove.

"Green has also been very consistent this year, and the position is still very much in the balance."

Foster, 25, has been almost permanently injured since Capello replaced Steve McClaren 15 months ago, and has only one England cap to date, earned while he was on loan at Watford in 2007.

Despite his call-up by Capello, he acknowledges that he will have to be playing more regularly if he is to seriously challenge James for the national team's number one spot.

At United, that involves displacing Edwin van der Sar, who is likely to play on for at least another season. It will not be an easy task but Foster has ruled out moving elsewhere in search of first-team exposure.

"The biggest club in the world against the biggest competition in the world, that is the dilemma," he said.

"Playing for England is a hugely important thing but I am also at the biggest club in the world. I will only get one chance at that and I don't want to give it up.

"I have to come back next season and get into the manager's face as much as I can. I want to be playing and I want to get into the World Cup squad next season."

Whatever happens, Foster's history of injuries - he has suffered ruptured cruciate ligaments, a broken thumb and a twisted ankle in the last two years - have made him philosophical about the up-and-down nature of his chosen profession.

"When you have so many injuries in such a short space of time, it teaches you to sit back and realise how fortunate you are when you can play regularly," he said.

"I have had bad times. Hopefully I am back on the up again now."

Maintaining that positive approach is one of the reasons why Foster was so happy to get the England call, a reward, as he sees it, for the more professional focus he has adopted.

"I have changed my whole life, with the things that I eat and things that I do," he revealed. "I do a lot more work in the gym and I just try to calm it down and focus on going out onto the training pitch, doing my best and then take the same approach into matches as and when I get the chance.

"It certainly feels good to get that little bit of recognition."

HIGH DEMAND FOR 2010 WORLD TICKETS

Fifa said on Friday that ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa were booming but world football's governing body voiced caution about the potential impact of a prolonged economic crisis. "There are at least 28 matches of the 64 that are sold out, the demand is huge," said Fifa Secretary General Jerome Valcke after a meeting of the executive committee.

Some 800 000 ticket requests had been made since tickets were opened for sale online on February 20, he added. The strongest demand came from the United States and England.

Valcke said the event's major sponsors also gave no sign of reconsidering despite fears about the impact of cost-cutting on sports sponsorship.

Fifa said it had weathered the financial turmoil so far, as it reported an increase in its annual financial result in 2008 to $184 million - compared to $49 million the previous year.

Fifa's equity stock also grew to $902 million.

But officials also voiced caution since 95% of Fifa's revenues over its four year financial period - 2007 to 2010 - depend on World Cup revenues from ticket sales, broadcast rights and corporate sponsorship.

"The financial and economic crisis is not yet over," commented finance chief Markus Kattner.

The global economic crisis is proving to be harsher and more sustained than expected. Many countries are not forecasting a recovery until late this year or next year, and unemployment is rising.

EAGLES ASSEMBLE FOR MAPUTO CLASH-2010 W/CUP

The Super Eagles' World Cup qualifying camp was a beehive of activities on Tuesday with the arrival in camp of seven other players, taking the number as at last night to 13.

Team skipper Nwankwo Kanu, strikers Obafemi Martins, Obinna Nsofor and Osaze Odemwingie, defender Onyekachi Apam and midfielder Olufemi Ajilore arrived in the team's Mthumbi Lodge in the early afternoon, while defender Obinna Nwaneri arrived in the night.

On Monday, goalkeepers Austin Ejide and Bamidele Aiyenugba, defenders Ayodele Adeleye, Danny Shittu and Taye Taiwo and striker Joseph Akpala were the first in camp.
Head Coach, Amodu Shaibu, his assistants, Daniel Amokachi, Fatai Amoo and Aloysius Agu; team coordinator, Emmanuel Attah, curator Chidi Ngoka and the team doctor and physiotherapist have been on ground since Monday morning.

Spain-based Kalu and Ikechukwu Uche missed their flight in Zurich after arriving late from Madrid. "Their flight from Madrid developed a problem and they had to be transferred to another aircraft. By the time this was done, time was lost and they missed the flight from Zurich to Johannesburg. They will leave Zurich on Tuesday night to arrive in Johannesburg Wednesday morning," said Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, the protocol officer, who has been in Johannesburg with Emmanuel Attah, receiving the players and putting them on flight to Nelspruit.

Also expected Wednesday are midfielder Sani Kaita, who was waiting to receive his visa in Paris on Tuesday morning, defender Chidi Odiah and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

Team assistant captain, Joseph Yobo, who is injured, will arrive in Maputo on Saturday to boost the team's morale, alongside striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, who also will not be able to take part in the match.

Out of the squad as well are injured defender Yusuf Mohammed and striker Chinedu Obasi.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday evening received a letter from English Premiership side, Chelsea FC, stating that midfielder John Mikel Obi is suffering from throat infection.

"John started to suffer from a throat infection on March 19, 2009 and this has been treated with a high level of Augmentin over the last 48 hours and we seem to be getting control of the infection."On the evening of March 19, he was pyrexial at 39.8 and at one stage hospitalisation was considered. However, due to the sensible nature of his partner, he remained at home and has slowly improved to the point where, I believe, he will be able to travel in approximately 48 hours. Obviously, he has not trained with us or played and I would ask you to take this into account in the week leading up to the game for Nigeria," wrote Dr Bryan English, chief medical officer of Chelsea, in a letter dated March 21, but received only on Tuesday.

Messi "is the best player in the world."-Sebastian Veron

Juan Sebastian Veron, who revealed to have had a private meeting with Marcelo Tinelli to possibly join San Lorenzo, affirmed to the press that Lionel Messi "is the best player in the world."

"Today Messi is the best player in the world and when you have a player of those characteristics it is logical that everyone always looks to him to play. He knows how to assume his role," Veron declared to TyC Sports.

Veron believes that the Barcelona superstar "has matured a great deal in the last two years, because he has accumulated experience."

In reference to Juan Roman Riquelme's decision to quit the national team, Veron admitted that "he isn't a player who can easily be replaced because he is a classic anchor man."

But he affirmed that Diego Maradona will "find a way to replace him with other players or by changing his tactical scheme."

"Besides what has happened with Riquelme, the national team have lots of options."

The South American Footballer of the Year for 2008 stated that from now until the World Cup Argentina will experience several changes.

"To achieve our objective the group are more important than the team itself."