The Three Lions begin a new year today when they meet up to prepare for a friendly international in Denmark on Wednesday.

It could turn out to be a tumultuous season, with the prospect of a World Cup Finals in Germany at the end of it - and ever-rising hopes that England can challenge the best.

And when Sven welcomes his troops back to the international fold he believes they need only look at Arsenal star Cole to realise what strides have been made in recent years.

The Three Lions, who reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2002, are currently second in their qualifying group and determined to reach the finals again.

Sven said: "If we get there, I will feel much better equipped for this World Cup than the last. Far better. If all the players are available, I have no doubts whatsoever that we now have the strongest team and strongest squad in the five years that I have been managing England.

"We are much more confident, much more mature, much more united as a group and more tactically adept too.

"Perhaps a player like Ashley Cole embodies the progress we have made as a team. In the last World Cup he played well but he had very little experience. He’d just come through into the Arsenal first team and got his chance with England very quickly too.

"These days he’s considered one of the best left-back in the world. He has huge experience, playing every week for Arsenal, tasting big Champions League games and playing regularly with England, including the European Championship.

"He is typical of our team in that way. And then you look at Michael Owen. Only 25 years old? It’s incredible."

Cole and Owen will be joined by Charlton striker Darren Bent at England’s training camp, called up for the first time after some outstanding displays in the Under 21s and because of a late injury to Andrew Johnson.

After taking on Denmark in Copenhagen on Wednesday England face huge World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Northern Ireland in September.