West Ham fans will tell you it was "us that won the World Cup in '66", Hurst and Peters scoring the goals in the final against the Germans that enabled Bobby Moore to lift the trophy at Wembley.

Forty-four years later and hope springs eternal. England fans once again are making noises about Wayne Rooney leading them all the way in South Africa to a second Jules Rimet Trophy.

However, one of the members of that celebrated Hammers and England triumvirate has his doubts.

Martin Peters, who scored England's second goal in the 4-2 win over West Germany, says he is concerned about Fabio Capello's defence and that the team could struggle if Rooney is shackled.

"I think it will be difficult. There's a few problems... especially in defence. We certainly haven't got a (goalkeeper like) Gordon Banks," he told the Independent on Sunday.

"Glen Johnson at right-back has been injured and is more of an attacking player than a defensive one, and of course there's Ashley Cole's broken ankle and a problem with Wayne Bridge. Rio Ferdinand's got a bit of a back problem."

Ferdinand says he expects to be fully fit for South Africa after a course of spinal injections and physiotherapy, though he revealed at the weekend he had hidden the extent of his injury from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for a year.

During this time he would be "bent over like an old hunchback" after matches and require painkillers to sleep. He told the News of the World he was forced to 'fess up to Fergie after United's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool last October, when Fernando Torres got away from him easily to score the opener.

But getting back to Peters' assessment, he believes there are deficiencies also in England's attack.

"No disrespect to Emile Heskey, but he's played 50-odd games for England and scored seven goals. Although he works his socks off ... if you're a centre-forward you need to score a few goals, don't you?"

Capello, it seems, is still pondering his options up front, and was at the 2-2 draw between Aston Villa and Wolves on Saturday to assess a clutch of Villa players - Heskey, James Milner, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young.

All impressed at various points, and though it was Norwegian giant John Carew who bagged a double for Villa, Heskey was perhaps just as effective, unobtrusively going about his job, providing a target, laying the ball off and being involved in the build-up to both goals.

Just like he has done throughout his career, at Leicester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Wigan and now under Martin O'Neill.

He might never be flavour of the month and his goals ratio cannot match his rival for the England big-man option, Tottenham's Peter Crouch, who has 20 for his country from 37 appearances.

Indeed, Heskey, 32, has never been a prolific scorer, and his average has dwindled in the latter stages of his career, from about one goal in every four matches to one in five-plus at his past three clubs.

But his honest graft, unselfish team play and ability to bring others into goalscoring positions are just the qualities you imagine might appeal to the no-bullshit Italian boss who can see value in a player beyond the raw statistics.

And if football were to assess attacking players in the same way ice hockey does, Heskey's returns would look a whole better.

The NHL's leading scorer, Alex Ovechkin, leads this season's charts with 97 points, from 45 goals and 52 assists (awarded to a player making either of the last two passes leading to a goal).

But his nearest rival, at least on the scoreboard, is not Olympic gold medallist Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins who has also scored 45 goals. It is the Vancouver Canucks' Henrik Sedin, who has a mere 28 goals, but crucially, 67 assists.

How Heskey might wish his contributions were given such store. But maybe they are, in the eyes of the man who will be picking the squad for South Africa.