Looking lean and relaxed, Becks led the team on a couple of laps of the pitch before they got down to a sprightly two-touch session. It looked as though the skipper had never been away as he sprayed the ball around with the vision and execution that are his trademarks.

"He may have been out for a few weeks but he will not have forgotten how to play football in that time," was Sven's prediction as recently as last week - and he was proved correct today.

With Butt and Dyer both enjoying getting in amongst the thick of the action again, it was a really promising sight to see the entire squad practicing together for the first time.

Sven stood looking on with his arms folded. He has been a picture of calm amongst the recent injury storm, but today there were the clearest signs yet that there may be brighter times ahead.

From Daniel Freedman in Awaji