Warm welcome: Local children greet the England squadFabio Capello's World Cup preparations have received a royal seal of approval.
More importantly for the meticulous England manager, his training pitches are in princely order.
The Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus, which resembled a building site a couple of months ago, has been transformed into the best sports base in South Africa.
That is the verdict of the organising committee and England's players were equally impressed when they arrived at their base near here and trained for the first time yesterday.
Hotel staff and children from a primary school in nearby Phokeng performed a dance routine for Capello and his players, who were greeted by the King of Bafokeng, Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi, ruler of the platinum-rich plains which stretch for miles. It was 'the perfect welcome', according to the FA.
The medical centre, pool and gym, little more than a pile of rubble when Sportsmail visited the newly built complex in February, are complete. Inside the hotel, there is zebra-skin furniture and grand stone statues of footballers.
Off and running: England manager Fabio Capello arrives at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus in Rustenburg, South Africa'For us to have secured England, the biggest team in the world, is great,' said King Molotlegi. 'It is a brilliant opportunity for everyone involved. I believe they have the best facilities in the country, so may the best team win.'
In the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, where Capello's team launch their campaign against the USA a week tomorrow, the pitch looked pristine, certainly in comparison to Wembley, but there were odd jobs to be done inside.
Workers were wiring the dressing room which America will use. The England one has been finished, complete with a tactics board bearing one word: 'Winners'.
The locals appear to have adopted England, who will extend their goodwill with a practice match against a local team, the Platinum Stars, on Monday. A huge poster of Wayne Rooney adorns the main entrance to the stadium.
Two star: England's Frank Lampard (front) and John Terry lead the England party into Camp Capello'I'm very pleased to be here and my team are happy to be in South Africa,' said Capello. 'I hope this World Cup in South Africa is good for this country and good for England. We now have t o concentrate and prepare well.'
If Camp Capello is set in an industrial heartland - mines loom around the red-earthed landscape - the USA have gone rural, setting up their camp in a country lodge, opposite a dairy farm, near Pretoria. Just as for the USA 's arrival earlier in the week, a large security presence greeted England at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport. They were led from the plane to a red and white team bus with the slogan Playing with Pride and Glory on the side. Police with guns and dogs also surrounded the perimeter of the campus here as Capello put his players through a light training session.
Gareth Barry did not train. The Manchester City midfielder will continue his recovery programme aimed at getting fit for the second group game against Algeria.
Ready to roll: The England team pose before leaving for South Africa - (L-R back row) Jermain Defoe, Joe Cole, James Milner, Joe Hart, Michael Carrick, Ledley King and Stephen Warnock, (L-R centre row) Aaron Lennon, Gareth Barry, Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Jamie Carragher, Glen Johnson, Emile Heskey and Shaun Wright-Phillips (L-R front row) Ashley Cole, Peter Crouch, Frank Lampard, captain Rio Ferdinand, manager Fabio Capello, vice-captain Steven Gerrard, John Terry, David James and Wayne RooneyHaving focused on work in a 4-4-2 formation during the preparation in Austria, Capello is expected to tinker with a five-man midfield behind the high wire fences at Bafokeng, but Frank Lampard insists the system is secondary to the talent of the players.
He said: 'When you play against teams who put a lot of bodies in midfield, you don't want to be outnumbered, but it's so much about the players and not about formations and rollickings from managers. We have to play with our style and hit teams with pressure. That's what we want to do at the World Cup.'
Lampard has also been working hard to make the light Jabulani ball wobble in the air when he strikes it from a free-kick. 'If you catch it right, even from far out, you have a chance,' he said. 'Even if you don't score, you put the keeper under pressure because it's hard for him to keep hold of the ball.'
source: dailymail
