By Mark Ryan, 19/12/2009
ENGLAND have confirmed that they will play Japan in Graz, Austria, on May 29th.
Fabio Capello aims to end altitude training before the World Cup by going out on a high.
He reckons the Japanese - who also have a pre-World Cup base camp in Austria - will provide the ideal warm up for South Africa.
The men from the Land of the Rising Sun are not too aggressive but no pushovers either.
So the challenge is deemed to be perfect at a time when Capello will be winding his pre-tournament training camp for the last time.
England fly back to the UK the following day so that the players can get a final 48 hours with the WAGS before the serious business begins.
The Capello camp realise that the players may already be starting to think of their women at the end of a tough training camp in Austria.
So they don"t want to run the risk of a morale busting-defeat against better quality opposition so close to the World Cup.
So Japan in Graz is regarded as the ideal fixture to go with already-arranged games against Egypt and Mexico in the World Cup warm-up period.
England will step on to the plane for South Africa on June 2. From that moment, the players will be subjected to a rigid regime.
That is the only way Capello thinks England can seal World Cup glory.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/football/match_reports/england/646540/CAPELLOS-PLANS-TAKING-SHAPE.html