Bill Bridge: Ferdinand injury masks deficiencies despite a nation's boundless optimism

It is difficult to go anywhere these days – for a quiet pint, a cup of coffee or even a walk in the park – without being asked for opinions about Rio's injury, Capello's choice of goalkeeper, the logic or otherwise of playing Wayne Rooney as a lone striker and the strengths and weaknesses of the United States, Algeria and Slovenia.

If nothing else, the World Cup will take our minds off the economic noose which is being inexorably tightened round our necks but which will not figure much in the newspapers or TV and radio news bulletins as the nation focuses on South Africa.

Yet when serious discussion as to England's chances breaks through the chatter of unbounded optimism then the reality dawns that perhaps this is not going to be a golden summer after all.

So many who were not around at the time are likening Fabio Capello's England to that of then plain Alf Ramsey in 1966; they may soon learn a serious lesson, one which is at the heart of this England's World Cup ambitions and one which ought not be forgotten when England next embark on a major tournament.

Last week's training injury which ruled Rio Ferdinand out of the tournament was not as seismic as some would have us believe, unfortunate as it was for the player.

Ferdinand, pictured, has not been the player he was for some time and the prospects of him getting through such a demanding tournament was an issue throughout the season just ended.

John Terry has similarly not enjoyed a brilliant year, despite figuring throughout Chelsea's double-winning feat; these days he turns as ponderously as an overloaded coal barge.

Ledley King, the stand-in for Ferdinand, is far from match fit and can barely train between matches, hardly the sort of preparation needed to win the game's most important trophy. He will be impressive in bursts, certainly, but once the world's best starting running at him should England reach the knockout stages, then trouble beckons.

Matthew Upson does not inspire any confidence and while Michael Dawson has immense potential and could well be a key figure in Capello's plans for the next World Cup (should our most popular Italian still be with us then) he is still a baby in international terms.

Add into the uncertainty over who is first-choice goalkeeper, mix in full-backs Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole, who are far better in the opposition's half than they are in their own, and the vast difference between Capello's options and Ramsey's becomes apparent.

Put it simply: would you prefer to go into battle with those mentioned above or Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Nobby Stiles, Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore with back-up from Jimmy Armfield, Norman Hunter, Ron Flowers, Peter Springett and Gerry Byrne?

Perhaps the only one of Capello's defensive group who would have earned a place in Ramsey's squad based on form over the past few months would be Jamie Carragher; that puts England's chances in raw perspective.

British racing is going through one of its periodic navel-gazing exercises with the intention of bringing the game to new audiences and – hopefully – securing its future as dire warnings sound about the future of Levy funding.

"Racing for Change" is the snappy label given to the research, in which the Racecourse Association is playing a leading role.

They are looking at things like having all the best races on a Saturday, making all our major meetings "Festivals" (whatever that means), changing the traditional arithmetic of betting and televising stewards' enquiries, most of which have points in their favour, none of which will provide salvation.

Perhaps those involved in the heart searching ought to get out of Epsom or Newmarket for a day before the end of summer and take themselves to Cartmel.

Yes, the maze-like approach down the narrow lanes of south Cumbria can be a bind, especially if you have left your arrival late, but the reward for perseverance is stunning.

For those of us who were there for the first time on Wednesday – the last of the three days of the annual Spring Bank Holiday meeting (no "festival" here you'll notice) – it was an eye-opener, a privilege and, above all, a great afternoon out.

They had welcomed 17,000 to the course on Monday and the attendance two days later was approaching that figure; the enclosures were packed, the car park was a bustle of picnics and barbecues, the fun fair was doing great business, the Pimms flowed like, well, Pimms, and all the while the oompah band played on as the sun blazed.

There was, too, jumps racing although no-one would have dared claim the thoroughbreds on show were of the highest class; here was irrefutable evidence that the races, the betting and the horses are a part of the broad canvas of racing, not, as some would have us believe, the crux.

Yorkshire prides itself – quite rightly – on having a wonderful mix of racing across the region's nine courses but Cartmel has something else, something intangible which makes it unique.

If "Racing for Change" could discover its secret, their problems would be over.

and another thing...

WE all know of Colin Montgomerie's affection for the Ryder Cup and his determination that this year – with him as captain – European success will be resumed at Celtic Manor.

To that end, Monty has told those who are not yet high enough in the automatic qualifying tables that he requires their presence at the last qualifying event – the Johnnie Walker at Gleneagles – if they are to earn one of his three wild-card selections.

That invitation has not been extended to Sergio Garcia who Monty sees as a latter-day Seve Ballesteros in terms of inspiration. At the moment Garcia would struggle to get into a Ryder Cup second string but that cuts no ice with Monty: Sergio is in. The captain has made no similar exceptions for the likes of Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey and Justin Rose, who are all playing better than Garcia.

Surely Monty's instruction to appear at Gleneagles could not have an ulterior motive like, improving the attendance? Who would benefit? Why the promoter of course: chap by the name of Colin Montgomerie.