Hargreaves has faith

England v Trinidad & Tobago
2006 World Cup Finals, Group B
5pm (BST), Thursday 15 June 2006
Frankenstadion, Nuremburg
Live on ITV

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	13 June 2006
	VIDEO: Owen Hargreaves pre Trinidad and Tobago
	Owen speaks to the press ahead of England's second World Cup Group B match against Trinidad & Tobago.

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Owen Hargreaves is backing himself to be a crucial part of England’s World Cup campaign after making an encouraging start to the tournament.

The Bayern Munich midfielder came on against Paraguay on Saturday to do a fine holding job in midfield, helping England to shore up a 1-0 victory as the heat began to take its toll.

Now he is vowing to do everything possible to help his country achieve success, whether it is as a starting player or from the bench.

The midfielder has won 31 caps so far for his country but it is typical of his strong team ethic that when asked if he was desperate to start against Trinidad, he was refusing to admit it!

"I'm desperate for us to be successful," insisted England's number 16. "Whether that means I'm starting, coming off the bench, playing right-defender or whatever. The manager decides in what capacity I'm needed.

"I know what I bring. Everybody is in the squad for a reason. I'm in for my defensive abilities, one-v-ones and my athletic abilities.

"But I've been around a long time. I won the Champions League and the league with Bayern and won the Double two years in a row. I've won 10 or 12 titles already.

"I've got 40 Champions League games under my belt, I've played against the best and performed in the biggest games. I take encouragement from that. I've got belief in my ability."

That is good news for England because Hargreaves’ qualities will certainly be required in this World Cup, even if the quiet way he gets on with his job doesn’t always make him the star attraction.

"I’m not in it for headlines, I’m in it for the success of our group," he said. "I want us to be successful as a team.

"It's difficult when you come on for 20 minutes as a sub. You're not in their to score a home run; you're not in there to score a goal. You're in there to make sure the team is successful.

"I've come on at 1-0 on Saturday and the game finished 1-0 and that's my job. I'm not in there to spray balls with the outside of the boot and do step-overs. That's not my game. I'm in there to win tackles, lay it off and make the game easier for the team. That's what I bring and I hope to bring it in the coming games as well."