Sven's team currently top Group Six with ten points and, behind the scenes, FA officials have also been trying to lead the race to find the right base camp in Germany.

"We are not being presumptuous or arrogant," Adrian Bevington, The FA's Head of Media explained to TheFA.com.

"This is the most sensible way for us to carry out our planning.

"Both Sven and The FA know from experience the amount of detail that needs to go into planning a World Cup and, if we were to leave it until all the qualification matches had been played, we would find ourselves very short, not only on time but also on options."

Officials have looked at numerous sites in Germany as a potential home for an England World Cup team, with the squad's requirements being of prime importance. Training facilities and areas to relax and congregate are vital ingredients in breeding the right atmosphere for success.

"Our job is to find the base camp that gives Sven and the players every opportunity to succeed in Germany, subject, of course, to our qualification for the finals," confirmed Bevington.

Sven himself is playing a key role in the search. "There is a long way to go still in qualifying, we all know that," he said, speaking to this website.

"We are not taking anything for granted but we have to make sure that if we do get to Germany, the right facilities and accommodation are there waiting for us.

"This is what all the other leading countries do and The FA has always been very good in giving us everything that we need before we go onto the pitch.

"I am looking forward to seeing and discussing the options that we have available to us. When we have done this, then we can make our decision."

England's next qualification match is on 26 March against Northern Ireland at Old Trafford, followed by another home tie, against Azerbaijan, at St James' Park four days later.