Lampard Aims To Have Shoot-On-Sight Policy

Frank Lampard believes he can take full advantage of the new and lighter World Cup ball to help England’s quest for glory in South Africa.

The Chelsea midfielder has already been practicing shooting from long range with the Jabulani ball during England’s training camp in Austria, and Lampard is confident in it being possible to score from almost any distance given the way the ball swerves and moves in the air.

Lampard said: “The ball we will be using does move. I worked on it in Austria.

Mikel - I Couldn't Risk Knee

John Obi Mikel admits he did not want to risk his knee injury after being ruled out of Nigeria's World Cup campaign.

The Chelsea midfielder was scratched from Lars Lagerback's 23-man squad for the tournament in South Africa on Saturday after failing to recover fully from a recent knee operation.

He missed the end of Chelsea's successful season after undergoing surgery, but was hoping to be fit to take his place in Nigeria's World Cup squad.

However, despite training fully with his team-mates on Friday, Mikel has confirmed he is not in a position to play in the World Cup finals.

Mikel told www.kickoff.com: "It is the same knee and I did not want to risk any further damage, also I think it is in the best interest of the team for me to withdraw rather than waste a slot.

"I wish the team good luck and I know that they will surprise people."

Nigeria coach Lagerback has acted immediately to replace Mikel by drafting uncapped Sochaux midfielder Brown Ideye into his squad.

The 21-year-old was one of the unlucky seven players to be dropped from the squad earlier this week when the Swede trimmed his list to 23.

The Nigerians wrap up their preparations for the finals with a friendly against North Korea in Johannesburg on Sunday.

After their opening Group B match against Argentina next Saturday in Johannesburg, Lagerback's team face Greece in Bloemfontein on 17th June before wrapping up their group matches with a match against South Korea in Durban five days later.

Arsenal Will Only Sign Joe Cole If The Chelsea Midfielder Drops Wage Demands By 50%

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will only sanction a move for Joe Cole if the England star drops his £120,000-a-week wage demands, and prove his long-term fitness.

Arsenal have jumped to the head of the queue of clubs lining up to secure Cole’s signature, but the club are unwilling to shatter their salary structure to tie up a deal for a player with a chequered recent fitness record.

Manchester United have also asked to be kept informed of developments and it is understood that Old Trafford would be Cole’s first choice of destination.

But United would be unwilling to give Cole the four-year contract that he is looking for, even though the 28-year-old is available on a free transfer.

The midfielder has already informed Chelsea that he intends to exercise his right to leave under freedom of contract.

Wenger is a big admirer of the player and exploratory talks have been held with Cole’s advisers but the Arsenal manager does not view the player in the same bracket as top earner Cesc Fabregas, who is on £110,000-a-week.

Although the Frenchman has a £45 million transfer kitty this summer, the figure is believed to cover first-year salaries as well as transfer fees.

If Fabregas moved to Barcelona it would remove the club’s highest earner from the wage bill, but Wenger is believed to be willing to sanction a deal that would provide Cole a basic £80,000-a-week with performance and appearance-related bonuses.

There is also concern at the Emirates Stadium regarding Cole’s fitness. The midfielder missed the second half of the 2008-09 season with knee ligament damage and, after missing the build-up to the current campaign, has suffered from a string of minor ailments and struggled to cement a place in Chelsea’s team.

Arsenal rejected the chance to sign Patrick Vieira on a free transfer last season because they were led to believe he would not pass a medical.

Cole has said that he will wait until after the World Cup to sort out his future but it is likely that the deal will be done before that time.

Chelsea Interested In Real Madrid Defender Sergio Ramos

Chelsea are hot on the heels of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, according to Sport.

The 24-year-old defender had been expected to be utilized by new Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho as a centre-back as he aims to bring in Maicon from Inter Milan for the right side of the defence.

However, reports in Spain claim that Chelsea are willing to lodge a €30 million offer to snare Ramos, who is part of La Furia Roja's squad for the World Cup in South Africa.

It is believed that Mourinho is reluctant to part with Ramos, but the Spaniard's sale could pave the way for the signing of Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini, a top target for the Special One, according to recent speculation.

Ramos has been with the Merengues since 2005, when he completed a €28m move from Sevilla.

Didier Drogba To Return To Ivory Coast Squad

Didier Drogba will rejoin the Ivory Coast's World Cup squad today after weekend surgery on a fractured arm.

However, it is still not clear whether the African Footballer of the Year will be fit to play in the Group G match against Portugal in Port Elizabeth next week.

Drogba fractured the ulna, or inner bone, of his right forearm in a warm-up match against Japan in Switzerland on Friday. The striker had surgery in Berne on Saturday, an operation doctors described as successful.

"His recovery has been extremely encouraging. It is suggested that, at this stage, all the signs are good and there is great hope the captain of the Elephants will be in action with his team-mates as soon as possible," a spokesman for the Ivorian Football Federation said.

The Ivorians depart for South Africa on Wednesday. They conclude their preparations in Switzerland with a friendly against Lausanne Sports in Nyon tomorrow.

Benayoun Considering Options After Benitez Departure

Yossi Benayoun has made it clear that he wants to sign for Chelsea, and the two clubs are continuing a dialogue over his transfer.

A source close to Benayoun's proposed move to Stamford Bridge told Soccernet: "Talks are ongoing, and Yossi has made it clear that he would like to sign for Chelsea.

"However, who knows how the departure of Rafael Benitez will affect the move from Liverpool to Chelsea.

"The problem though, is that Yossi didn't play all the games at Anfield, and won't play all the time at Chelsea!"

"It is no secret that the player did not get on with the manager, and there was nothing more to it than the fact that Yossi thought he was playing well enough to have been in the starting line up far more often than he was.

"For that reason he wanted to quit Liverpool for Chelsea, but now that Benitez has gone, who knows, he might change his mind?"

It appears that Chelsea have intimated that they would make an initial offer of around £4 million while Liverpool are holding out for £6 million, so with the two clubs apparently close in valuation a deal is likely.

Benayoun is viewed as a replacement for Joe Cole, who cannot agree a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Cole asked for £120,000 a week in wages but will now be available on a free transfer, with a number of Premier League clubs chasing his signature.

Having said no to Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham, it leaves clubs like Spurs and Manchester City still in the frame to sign Cole once the World Cup finals are over.

Benayoun has three years left on his £75,000-a-week deal at Anfield, and would be a much cheaper option than re-signing Cole.

The Israel international is due back from a holiday to finalize personal terms with Chelsea next week, along as the Blues meet the £6 million asking price.

Cole Conundrum Continues As Wenger And Ferguson Pull The Plug

According to ESPN, Arsenal FC and Manchester United are no longer in the running for Chelsea FC midfielder Joe Cole. Sir Alex Ferguson and his Premier League counterpart Arsene Wenger have been strongly linked with the 28-year-old Stamford Bridge star, and although there is also interest from Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, early reports suggested the Gunners and Red Devils were the frontrunners.

Reports over the weekend now suggest Manchester United and Arsenal FC have pulled out of the running due to their reluctance to match the Chelsea FC star’s lofty wage demands. Cole is believed to have encountered similar problems while trying to negotiate an extension at Stamford Bridge, but Carlo Ancelotti, like Wenger and Ferguson, has been reluctant to match his alleged £120,000 a week demands. The news will boost Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur’s purported efforts to lure Cole to the City of Manchester Stadium and White Hart Lane respectively, as Roberto Mancini and Harry Redknapp remain intent of signing Cole.

Cole remains resigned to leaving Chelsea FC due in part to the club’s reluctance to match his demands but in the main, the 28-year-old is concerned by his peripheral role under Carlo Ancelotti. With Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal FC’s Arsene Wenger no longer in the running, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur look set for a straight shootout for his coveted signature.

A source close to the player told Soccernet: “My information is that Joe Cole will not be going to Arsenal or to Manchester United, despite being linked with both of these clubs.”

“Joe Cole has a few options, and has not made up his mind, and will do so when he returns from South Africa. It is still possible that he could decide to stay at Chelsea but that is only a small chance.”

Malouda - France Have Problems

Florent Malouda admits France have 'a lot of problems to fix' and believes leaders need to step up.

Les Bleus have enjoyed considerable success at recent World Cups, taking the title on home soil in 1998 and reaching the final in Germany four years ago.

They also tasted European Championship glory in 2000, with their golden generation sweeping all before them.

Serious cracks have started to appear, though, with a dismal showing at Euro 2008 suggesting they are no longer a force to be reckoned.

Success brings with it great expectation and France have failed to live up to their billing over recent years.

Chelsea winger Malouda accepts as much as he readies himself for this summer's World Cup in South Africa, but he is confident Raymond Domenech has enough quality at his disposal to make amends over the coming weeks.

"The problem is, after what we did in 2006 - and of course there was a great generation in 1998 and 2000 - expectations are very high," Malouda told The Guardian.

"And the Euro in 2008 was a disaster. So when you are in a bad situation everything is coming out and people are pointing the finger.

"The World Cup is really close and honestly we have a lot of problems to fix. When there is tension, when there are high-pressure games, you need characters. You need people to come out and say 'I will take responsibility'."

He added: "Honestly we have a lot of problems. We have to talk about a lot of things. But for that you need someone to take the first step. Guys like (Patrick) Vieira and (Claude) Makelele who can take the lead. If they are not there, somebody has to do it."

France will be looking to Malouda to provide an attacking spark this summer, with his domestic form at Chelsea over the second half of the season suggesting he could make a real impact in South Africa.

The former Lyon man believes he is ready to leave his mark on a major tournament, admitting that he finally feels settled at Stamford Bridge after three years in England.

"People had to get to know me and get used to the way I am. And I needed time to show what I can do." said Malouda.

"I came into a squad that had won a lot of titles with Jose Mourinho. To arrive in a team that has had great success but was on a down period, people expect a lot from you. I had to be patient.

"You know, I had five managers here and each time at the beginning they were trying things before I had their full confidence. I am really happy it is happening now and people can show me that love and affection the same as my team-mates."

Chelsea FC Turn Attention To Germany With Sportfive

Chelsea Football Club, winners of the Premier League and FA Cup, have announced two further European pre-season fixtures. The Double winners, who include the likes of England internationals John Terry and Frank Lampard, will play against Eintracht Frankfurt on 1st August and Hamburger SV on 4th August.

The Sports Promoters (TSP), a wholly owned subsidiary of the international sports agency Sportfive, will promote and organize the two German friendly matches. This will also include a mini training camp for Carlo Ancelotti's squad between games in Frankfurt.

Ron Gourlay, chief executive of Chelsea FC, said: "We are delighted to announce our agreement with Sportfive who will be arranging a major part of our pre-season activity. Following the World Cup, it is important for our players to prepare in the best possible environment and playing matches against opponents like Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburger SV will ensure the team hits the ground running ahead of the start of the new season."

Vincent Tong-Cuong, chief operating officer of Sportfive International, said: "We are very pleased about having signed this agreement with Chelsea FC. They have played an outstanding season and the two friendlies will provide German football fans with another international highlight in this year's football calendar."

Philipp Hasenbein, chief executive, Sportfive Germany, added: "Thanks to our close partnership with the majority of Germany's top clubs we can bring them together with a renowned international opponent like Chelsea and make great events like these friendlies happen. Our subsidiary TSP specializes in the development, execution and organization of sporting events and will be organizing the visit to Germany."

The three European fixtures, including a game against Ajax in Amsterdam on the 23 July, will follow Chelsea's first pre-season match against local London side Crystal Palace on 17 July at the Eagle’s home ground, Selhurst Park.

Summary Of A Season: Joe Cole

The 28-year-old will probably admit it was a frustrating season for him as he struggled to cement a place in the starting 11, but he popped up at important times with some vital contributions, not least his opening goal at Old Trafford in April.

The 2009/10 campaign began with promise, as Joe returned to pre-season training with the rest of the squad in positive mood having recovered well from cruciate ligament damage in January 2009.

A setback was to follow though, and he missed the tour of America, not returning to first-team duty until late September, when he produced a sparkling captain's display against QPR in the Carling Cup, offering 'that bit of fantasy' Ray Wilkins had said he would.

His next three appearances were off the bench before starts against Blackburn and Bolton, both of which were impressively creative.

A first goal arrived in late November as Wolves were pulled apart, and a run of four successive league starts in December and January produced five assists, a goal of his own disallowed at Burnley for offside.

Constant speculation regarding Joe's future perhaps began to take its toll though, and from February onwards he was used more regularly as an impact substitute, his play creating further goals against Man City and Portsmouth before the season's highlight - that delicate, cheeky back-flick that gave us the lead at Old Trafford, before Didier Drogba smashed home to secure three huge points in the title race.

Three late sub appearances in the Premier League, and an FA Cup Final cameo against Portsmouth at Wembley allowed further contribution to a record-breaking Chelsea season, and a late inclusion in Fabio Capello's World Cup squad will have been a huge boost after almost two years out of the national setup.

Drogba Has Successful Operation On Elbow

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba has undergone a successful operation on his fractured elbow although his team did not say whether he would be able to play at the World Cup.

"The necessary surgical intervention has been a success," the Ivory Coast football federation said on its website (www.fif-ci.com) on Saturday.

The federation added that medical staff was confident Drogba would make "a rapid recovery" but did not elaborate.

The 32-year-old striker was injured during Friday's 2-0 friendly win over Japan in Sion.

Drogba, a talismanic figure for the Elephants with 43 goals in 67 appearances, limped off after a challenge from Tulio sent him falling awkwardly to the ground after 15 minutes.

If he misses the World Cup it would be a huge blow to the Ivorians, who have been transformed from a middle-ranking team to a major force in African football since Drogba came on to the scene.

Born in Ivory Coast and raised in France, the Chelsea forward has helped them qualify for their first two World Cups in 2006 and 2010.

He was Premier League top scorer this season as Chelsea won the title from Manchester United.

Last Friday, vice-captain Kolo Toure said a dejected Drogba had told team mates in the dressing room he was out of the tournament, which starts on Friday.

"It's obviously very sad, for him he said that the World Cup is finished, we're just waiting for what the doctor says," Toure said.

But coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said as he left the stadium there was still a chance Drogba could play.

The Ivorians, who are holding a training camp in Saanenmoeser in the Swiss Alps, face Brazil, Portugal and North Korea in World Cup Group G.

Chelsea Announce They Want Joe Cole To Stay

Chelsea have announced they are willing to fight to keep Joe Cole at the club despite increasing interest from a number of other Premier League clubs.

The England midfielder is available to leave the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of June and has been attracting interest from a number of clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Chelsea had been rumoured to have withdrawn their offer of a new contract and turned their attention to signing Liverpool’s Israeli international midfielder Yossi Benayoun as a replacement.

But Chelsea assistant coach Ray Wilkins told BBC Radio 5 Live that contrary to the rumours suggesting otherwise, the West London club are keen for Cole to extend his stay.

"We've obviously been in dialogue with Joe for months now and it's pretty evident that Carlo and myself would love Joe to stay but it's down now to the club to see what we can do.

"We sincerely hope Joe stays with us - he's a smashing guy and he's a wonderful footballer so we'll keep our fingers crossed."

Chelsea Consider Shock Move For Newcastle United Youngster Andy Carroll

Chelsea are considering an audacious move for Newcastle United youngster Andy Carroll. The Stamford Bridge outfit is on the look out for new up and coming options as Carlo Ancelotti plans for the future whilst dealing with a somewhat aging squad.

Having captured the likes of Ross Turnbull and Daniel Sturridge last summer the club is continuing to look for promising ‘homegrown’ players and are rumoured to be impressed by the 21 year old’s performances with the Magpies last season and with Chelsea’s main attacking options, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, both being over 30 years of age the west London side is keen to bring in new signings.

Carroll finished top scorer at the Toon Army last season with 19 goals in 35 starts as he helped Chris Hughton’s side to the title. However the Gateshead born England Under-21 international has had a few run ins during his time coming through the ranks at St James’ Park, most notably coming to blows with Newcastle defender Steven Taylor.

Should a bid be made by the Premier League champions it seems highly unlikely that Mike Ashley would accept knowing that doing so would further anger supporters who already enjoy a rather spicy relationship with the club’s owner.

Arsenal Set To Beat Out Manchester City And Sign Chelsea Midfielder Joe Cole

With captain Cesc Fabregas keen to move to Barcelona this summer Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is looking to bring Cole in to help strengthen the Gunners, who have not won a trophy since 2005, according to the Daily Mail.

Both Arsenal and City were believed to be apprehensive to sign Cole due to the Englishman’s £100,000 a week salary demands.

Contract negotiations between Cole and Chelsea have stalled and with the 28-year-old’s current deal set to expire, the midfielder will be a free agent this summer.

Cole believes that he is deserving of a lucrative contract because the club that he would join would not have to pay the £10million transfer fee that he would be worth in the open market.

The former West Ham United midfielder and his family would prefer to stay in London, and after struggling to break into Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti’s first team this season it appears that Cole is on the verge of a move to the Gunners.

Wenger will have around £30 million, plus the amount that Arsenal receives from Barcelona for Fabregas, and the Frenchman could use a portion of that transfer money to bring Cole to the Emirates.

Joe Cole: It's Just Fantastic To Be Back For World Cup

Joe Cole’s second England coming has given the Chelsea star the goosebumps.

Two seasons ago talk of such an outstanding talent not being part of England’s World Cup plans would have been ridiculous.

But the Cockney charmer has been to hell and back following cruciate knee ligament damage in an FA Cup game at Southend 18 months ago.

With Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti also appearing to lose faith with Cole, his international obituary was being written. In fact, Cole’s ambitions of travelling to South Africa rested on what amounted to a critical 45 minute audition on a rainy afternoon in Austria last Sunday.

Cole, 28, proved his qualities and is now in Rustenburg.

He enthused: “Seeing my name on the back of an England shirt on a peg in the dressing room gave me the goosebumps. It means so much playing for England. It is like a second coming. I’m really enjoying my football again.” So Cole is smiling once more after being given the No 11 shirt.

“Before I was looked upon as a regular with 50 caps. Now I’m looking at the England shirt on the peg again. Fantastic. I hate answering questions on the injury. All I want to do is to play in the World Cup finals and help us win it.”

Cole To Get £4.5 Million Divorce Payout?

Singer Cheryl Cole is set to receive a £4.5 million payout when her divorce Ashley Cole is finalized, according to reports.

The Girls Aloud hitmaker walked out on the sports star earlier this year following allegations he cheated on her with four women.

Cole reportedly asked for a quick divorce when she started proceedings last month. She was said to be prepared to allow her former partner keep their marital home in Surrey and not demand any financial support.

But now it has emerged the singer will receive a lump sum from Cole when the divorce is finalized later this year reports The Sun.

A source tells the publication, "He can't believe she will walk away with nothing. She worked as hard as him for their possessions."

Cole will reportedly be granted a decree nisi in early August with the divorce set to be completed six weeks later.

Lampard Retains Penalty Belief

England midfielder Frank Lampard says he will not shirk from his penalty taking duties at the World Cup finals.

Doubts had emerged over Lampard's position as England's premier spot-kick taker after the Chelsea star saw an effort saved in the friendly win over Japan.

Reports had indicated striker Wayne Rooney had tried to oust his team-mate from the responsibility, but Lampard refuted such suggestions.

Lampard also missed a penalty in the Blues' FA Cup final against Portsmouth, uncharacteristically dragging his effort wide.

But the 31-year-old said he would remain in charge should his side be awarded a penalty, insisting he still retained belief in his ability to hit the net.

"Wayne hasn't made an issue of it. Actually, he hasn't said anything. No-one has," said Lampard.

"I heard the manager had said I was still the penalty taker and I am happy with that. I still have the confidence. It is a fact of life that you can miss occasionally.

"I missed in a friendly, which was a little reminder. I will practise them here and go back to basics a bit.

"Despite what has happened I am very confident with myself. I have the inner strength to take it on the chin. When I pick up the ball I believe that I will score."

Lampard's attempts to fire England to glory will be done with the tournament's controversial 'Jabulani' ball, which has come under criticism from various players in the build-up to the campaign.

The altitude of some of the matches in South Africa has also added to the perceived difficulties facing the competition's hopefuls, however Lampard believes it will not prove to be problematic.

He did, however, join the many to voice their opinion on the much-maligned ball, saying the flight could cause extremes between successful strikes and misses.

He said: "The altitude won't be a problem. In terms of the breathing and how it saps your energy, I haven't noticed too much difference to Austria.

"There is a bit of heat out here as well but we will become accustomed to that and it won't be an issue."

On the ball, he added: "But the ball moving around will be an issue because it moves a lot more. The goalkeepers will tell you that.

"You can see it when you strike the ball. There are going to be a lot more spectacular goals and could even be a lot more spectacular misses with the way the ball moves about."

Stoch & Ivanovic Saturday Winners

Chelsea's Eastern European representatives at the World Cup, Miroslav Stoch and Branislav Ivanovic, both enjoyed victories in their final games on home soil before departing for South Africa.

Slovakia were 3-0 winners over Costa Rica on Saturday afternoon, Stoch starting the game on the left wing and playing 77 minutes before being replaced by Erik Jendrisek. The Chelsea man had a part in the first goal having gone close to scoring himself early in the game.

The big news of the game was the ankle injury suffered by Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel, which makes him a doubt for the World Cup. Slovakia's goals were scored through an own goal, Robert Vittek and Stanislav Sestak

Later in the day Ivanovic played the full 90 minutes of Serbia's win although it wasn't the best of evenings for his side's defence. They shipped three goals, coming from behind twice to beat Cameroon 4-3.

Serbia were without Nemanja Vidic and suspension made Samuel Eto'o unavailable for Cameroon. Former Chelsea player Geremi came on for Cameroon at half-time.

Milos Krasic, Dejan Stankovic, Wolves's Nenad Milijas from the penalty spot and Marko Pantelic were the Serbian scorers, all in a first-half that ended 4-2. The African side pulled another back on 67 minutes but the Europeans held on for a welcome victory after a warm-up defeat by New Zealand and a draw with Poland.

Summary Of A Season: Petr Cech

In a season when one of his greatest predecessors, Peter Bonetti, earned a special recognition award at Chelsea, Cech further enhanced his own reputation with a solid season and a major contribution towards a first Premier League and FA Cup Double.

It started in perfect fashion with two penalty saves in the shootout against Manchester United, sealing the Community Shield in Carlo Ancelotti's first game in charge, and was followed by seven straight wins.

A mistake at Stoke was highlighted, however, when he failed to make his mind up on a Glenn Whelan cross, allowing Abdoulaye Faye to head home, and was followed a fortnight later by a red card, the first of his Chelsea career at Wigan in our first defeat of the season.

Suspended in the 2-0 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, he returned to the side at Villa Park but again came under scrutiny - two goals conceded at set-pieces, the second after he had missed another cross - as we suffered successive away defeats.

He bounced back to concede just two more in the next eight games as we entered the Christmas period on top of the league, and while a calf injury at the San Siro prevented him from participating in our Champions League second leg defeat against Inter, causing him to miss five games, he returned for the run-in and had a big say in the direction of the major silverware, earning the Premier League's Golden Glove on the final day of the season with his 17th clean sheet from 34 games.

Cech kept perhaps his most important saves for last. In the FA Cup Final with the scores at 0-0, he first pulled off an amazing instinctive save to prevent Frederic Piquionne from opening the scoring, and then kept out Kevin-Prince Boateng's spot-kick with his feet, moments before Didier Drogba went up the other end and scored a superb free-kick. Just the reminder everyone needed about the goalkeeper's credentials.

Lampard: We Live In Fear Of World Cup Blow

Frank Lampard has admitted the entire England squad live in fear of suffering the kind of injury that ruled Rio Ferdinand out of the World Cup.

Ferdinand was injured in a collision with Emile Heskey in England's first training session in Rustenburg on Friday and is now facing a decision whether to return home or stay in South Africa with the squad.

Lampard feels "sick in the stomach" just at the thought of missing the World Cup so he can only imagine how Ferdinand feels.

"He's very down," Lampard said of the Manchester United defender at a press conference on Saturday.

"It's a huge competition, the biggest competition. It made me feel a bit sick in the stomach so I can't imagine how he feels."

"I was fearful for him because you could see the pain of the fall but also there was an element of fear.

"We all understand that. We've all had moments during our club careers as well where there's big games coming up and you feel you might have done something to put you out of that game.

"I understood straight away that it was potentially a bad one and then it was fingers crossed for the scan and obviously it turned out to be bad."

Injuries have blighted recent England campaigns - David Beckham's metatarsal in 2002, Wayne Rooney's metatarsal in 2004 and Michael Owen's knee injury in Germany four years ago.

And Lampard admits it is a problem which worries the rest of the squad.

He added: "We're very nervous of these things because we have had players injured before but I wouldn't say we're cursed. That's the wrong word.

"What we have to do now is rely on the strength of the group and our players."

Lampard admits the whole camp are disappointed to lose such an important player as Ferdinand but feels that Michael Dawson, who has now joined up with the England camp, is an able replacement.

Steven Gerrard has taken over as skipper and the Chelsea midfielder feels that is the right choice to help them push on.

He added: "We have to keep batting on, we have to be very focused. There's nothing wrong with being disappointed. That's normal. But when we trained today we trained at full pelt

"Dawson's turned up now and he's a lad who fully deserves to get that kind of call up for the player he is and the season he's had. So we have to just focus.

"Yes, we've lost a big player and big leader in our team but we've got to get together.

"I think he (Gerrard) will do the job he does at Liverpool. Which he has done fantastically for years. It'll mean everything to him the England captaincy.

"Steven's got that very quiet way about him off the pitch and everyone respects him for that. He's a player to look up to and that what's a captain's all about."

Meanwhile Lampard has expressed his hope that Ferdinand remains in South Africa with rest of the squad.

"I didn't really know what to say for him," he said. "We just spoke about the injury and how disappointed he was and I just said 'I'm here for you'.

"He's making the decision now whether to stay on or go home.

"I know he'll try and do what's best for him but also what's good for the lads.

"We'll miss him first and foremost on the pitch because of the quality he has as a centre-half. He's one of the best in the world without a shadow of a doubt but we have to keep going."