9 October 2004
Sol Campbell interview

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Sol Campbell says England's players are determined to qualify for the World Cup Finals - and won't let David Beckham's suspension affect them.

England's Captain Marvel, who scored such a stunning goal to help beat Wales 2-0 on Saturday, is definitely out of our trip to Azerbaijan on Wednesday because of both suspension and injury.

Beckham received his second yellow card of the qualifying tournament at Old Trafford yesterday and serves an automatic one-match ban. But he would missed the game in Baku anyway with fractured ribs.

It is clearly a blow for the Three Lions, but central defender Campbell says there is no time for moping.

He said: "I'm looking forward to Azerbaijan. Qualifying comes down to these sort of games, you have to go there and win.

"We just have to go there and do it. Becks is out but we have to keep it going because there's a big prize at stake."

That big prize is qualification for the World Cup Finals in Germany in 2006, of course - and Campbell, who was reunited with Rio Ferdinand in England's defence on Saturday, is determined to be there.

He and Rio were two of the biggest stars of the finals in Japan & Korea in 2002 and both players want to get back on the big stage.

Arsenal man Campbell said: "It was good to be back alongside Rio and we did well against Wales because they have some good players.

"We had to be vigilant and we did it well. Myself and Rio it was a good game for both us - we got on with things because we want to get the World Cup and we didn't want to let anyone down.

"But I thought the whole team played well. With Wayne just behind the strikers it was interesting. He likes that position and he can score goals or put other people in. It worked well for us and we have to keep it going now."