World Cup:Goalkeeper David James insists England will be treating Sunday's World Cup last-16 clash against Germany just like any other game. Fabio Capello's side take on Joachim Low's team in Bloemfontein this weekend with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
Much has been spoken in the build-up about past meetings between the nations but James pays little attention to such talk.
“It’s another football match,” he said. “Obviously there’ll be a lot of external references and whatever else, historical references. But for us it’s a game against a decent outfit — one we have to win to progress.”
Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Slovenia secured England’s place in the knockout phase, but Landon Donovan’s stoppage-time winner for the USA against Algeria meant Capello’s side finished second in Group C and face Group D winners Germany rather than runners-up Ghana.
The outcome left England in a tough quarter of the draw, with Argentina potential last-eight opponents, but James is not concerned about what might have been.
“We can’t do anything about what happened,” he said. “We look back at the America game and the performance of Tim Howard which prevented a win. Algeria are very difficult to score against, and then we did what we needed to against Slovenia on Wednesday.”
James started between the posts against Algeria and Slovenia after Robert Green’s howler gifted Clint Dempsey an equaliser for America in the opener, and the England number one is pleased to have finally grasped his chance at his third World Cup.
“When the squad was announced and the numbers issued it was more of numerical thing than a suggestion of the first XI,” said the 39-year-old, the oldest player at the finals.
“True to Mr Capello’s previous selection process, he must have gauged something in training and felt Robert was the right goalkeeper to start with. I’m happy with that.
“I’m part of a squad. This World Cup isn’t about David James — it’s about England being successful. I trained as well as I could, got the chance to go back in and I’m happy.”
Of squad morale, he added: “It’s a very happy squad as it has been throughout the trip so far. We did what we needed to with regard to qualification.”
James is prepared for the possibility of facing penalties against Germany — just as England had to in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup and Euro ‘96 — but is hoping it does not go that far.
“The intention for us is to win the game in 90 minutes,” he said. “If it requires extra time and then if it goes to penalties, there’s an opportunity for Germany to miss so we’re ready.
“Germany are a decent outfit but we’ve got the confidence of having gone to Berlin a couple of years ago and beaten them 2-1.”