Sven has been working his team hard on the training pitch this morning, using di

Sven has been working his team hard on the training pitch this morning, using different permutations all the time. It's never that easy to predict what he's going to do or who he'll pick, which is one of his strengths as a coach.

Who'll partner Rio?' has already been asked, but a similar question could be asked of the strike force. You would have to say it's a fair bet that Michael Owen will lead the line and, though he's unlikely to be joined by Wayne Rooney from the start, were England to establish a solid foothold in the game, Sven may feel that it would be a good opportunity to unleash his new magic-man.

Even among the players there is still something of a buzz surrounding the newest addition to the party. As he has been used intelligently sparingly by David Moyes in the Premiership, this is the first opportunity that many of the squad have had to assess Wayne at first hand. He has not failed to impress - even the seasoned internationals that are here have been taken with his physical maturity and wonderfully honed footballing instincts.

It cannot be easy for any seventeen year-old when he is suddenly plucked from his every-day routine and asked to settle in with a new group of peers, some of whom are twice his age. Credit him for that but also credit people like Francis Jeffers and Steven Gerrard.

His two fellow Scousers - themselves only in their very early twenties - have taken Wayne under their wing, sitting next to him on the plane journey over here to England's base in Switzerland, as well as being his companions at meal-times. They have eased what is a remarkable transition when you consider it is only a year since Rooney was contesting the European Under-17 Championships for his country.

At the other end of the age range, things are not all quite so new. England coach Tord Grip still has many friends in Switzerland dating back from his time as manager of Young Boys Bern some fifteen years ago. The man who has been organising England' travel plans at this end, used to be a youth coach for Tord in those days. Times change.

Meanwhile, the boss himself remains in calm but focussed mood. Sven put the players through a rigorous and in-depth training session yesterday and will do the same today. Rest and pre-match meetings are also on the agenda as the preparation now begins to shift up the gears for England's first competitive game since Macedonia.

The players were frustrated not to have taken three points from that game at St Mary's against what was perceived to be weaker opposition and know that now is the time to put that right.

As Gary Neville told TheFA.com yesterday, when you look around you and see the players that we have here, you get the feeling that the destiny of this team is very much in its own hands.

From Daniel Freedman at the England Team base in St Gallen