David James tells FATV that squad numbers mean nothing in terms of selection.

Despite being listed as ‘number one’ in England’s squad list for the World Cup, goalkeeper David James knows that no-one will be assured of their berth in the team until they face USA on 12 June.

Speaking to FATV’s Tim Lovejoy before the squad’s departure to South Africa, James revealed that in all of Fabio Capello’s games so far, the team is only revealed on arrival at the stadium just an hour or so before the match.

So there is certainly going to be some fierce competition between James and fellow goalkeepers Robert Green and Joe Hart over the next week or so.

"For every qualifying match that I've started, it's not until the team sheet has been lifted that you're guaranteed to be playing,” he explained.

"Going into the Ukraine game last year, the build-up was the same as all of the other matches and the routine was the same, as you build yourself up to the point of selection.

“And then the team is announced and you go off and play. Now, I didn't play in that game, but it felt the same in preparing for it so it sets the squad up nicely.”

With the squad now at their base hotel in Rustenburg, James is just looking forward to the competition getting underway and he knows from his previous experiences of South Africa that it should be a real festival of football.

"I went out on a trip there with Liverpool in about 1996 and have been a few times since and  the place is hungry for football,” he added.

"I have a few friends in South Africa and they say everyone is really looking forward to it and the atmosphere is building up.

"I am very excited and confident in what we've got as a team and I’m looking forward to it.”

Watch the full interview with James by clicking here and hear what he has to say about Capello’s winning mentality and how he likes to relax in his free-time whilst on a trip like this.