Venables 'very happy' with England's group draw

Former England manager Terry Venables admits England will be expected to come through the World Cup group stages with few problems after being handed a favourable draw this evening.

England were drawn in Group C and will kick off their campaign on Saturday, June 12 against the United States in Rustenburg – where they are thought to be holding their training camp.

Their second and third matches will be in Cape Town against Algeria and in Port Elizabeth against Slovenia.

Venables admits the United States will be tough opposition.

“It’s a tough game because they will be fit, organised and while they won’t outplay us, they could out-sprint us,” he said on Sky Sports News.

“It could be a difficult game for us.”

Generally, however, Venables believes England should get through the group comfortably.

“Although Algeria did extremely well to get through they are not really on a par with any of those teams,” he said.

“We’ll be expected to do it and we should do it, so let’s be very happy.”

Former England captain David Beckham, who could be part of Fabio Capello’s squad for South Africa, said: “It is a very interesting group.

“They are all hard games and it’s very exciting to be a part of it.”