Capello's past captains, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand, are both included for the friendlies on May 27 and June 1, respectively, along with potential captains John Terry and Wayne Rooney, plus older heads like David Beckham and David James. But it is the performances of the youth brigade that are likely to be of most interest.

After the rushed build-up to games against Switzerland and France, Capello now has the luxury of having the majority of his squad together for an extended period.

With the exception of nine players otherwise engaged at the Champions League final, Capello will have his squad together from May 21, meaning he will have nearly a fortnight to assess training and get his ideas across.

As only three days are allocated for the get-together ahead of August's encounter with the Czech Republic before the real action begins with World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia the following month, Capello knows the work he does now is vital.

So, it is perhaps no surprise Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart and Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone are among those given an opportunity to impress.

Hart, who was mercifully on the bench as City were crushed 8-1 at Middlesbrough yesterday, has been touted for an England call-up virtually since Capello was appointed.

Huddlestone has also impressed at Tottenham during the latter half of the campaign and played a starring role in the club's Carling Cup triumph over Chelsea.

Huddlestone's team-mate Aaron Lennon and Chelsea wide-man Shaun Wright-Phillips are the notable exclusions from a squad lacking Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott and Matthew Upson through injury.

Capello will hope the nine players on Champions League duty in Moscow on May 21 come through unscathed, particularly Wayne Rooney, who returned from a hip problem in Manchester United's Barclays Premier League title-clinching win at Wigan.

England squad

For the international friendly matches against USA on May 28 and Trinidad and Tobago on June 1:

D James (Portsmouth), J Hart (Man City), C Kirkland (Wigan), W Bridge (Chelsea), W Brown (Man Utd), A Cole (Chelsea), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), P Jagielka (Everton), G Johnson (Chelsea), J Terry (Chelsea), S Warnock (Blackburn), D Wheater (Middlesbrough), J Woodgate (Tottenham), G Barry (Aston Villa), D Beckham (LA Galaxy), D Bentley (Blackburn), J Cole (Chelsea), S Downing (Middlesbrough), O Hargreaves (Man Utd), T Huddlestone (Tottenham), S Gerrard (Liverpool), J Jenas (Tottenham), F Lampard (Chelsea), T Walcott (Arsenal), A Young and G Agbonlahor (both Aston Villa), D Ashton (West Ham), P Crouch (Liverpool), J Defoe (Portsmouth), M Owen (Newcastle), W Rooney (Man Utd).