David James is said to welcome the chance of a move to Tottenham Hotspur. At 39, the man previously derided as Calamity James appears certain, fitness permitting, to represent England in June’s World Cup.

James has been able to indulge in a mince pie or two over Christmas as he recovers from knee surgery, with Amir Begovic keeping goal while Portsmouth have enjoyed a surge in form under new manager Avram Grant that means they could yet remarkably avoid relegation to the Championship.

Conventional wisdom has James battling it out with Robert Green, the West Ham goalkeeper, to be first-choice for the Three Lions. Ben Foster, who struggled to cope with the pressure of first-team football at Manchester United earlier this season, or Joe Hart, impressing on loan at Birmingham City from Manchester City, will be the third keeper.

But this forgets on major trait of Fabio Capello’s squad announcements since he took over as England coach: he picks on form. Form, form, form.

This is why Michael Owen’s hat-trick for United against Wolfsburg in the Champions League is only the first of many steps to getting back to the international scene.

If Capello picks his squads for the pre-World Cup matches on form, which there is every reason to think he will, then Paul Robinson and Chris Kirkland need to be considered outside chances.

If James goes to Tottenham he will expect to be No.1, but Heurelho Gomes is no mug and that is far from assured. It is not unrealistic to expect other English keepers to impress Capello more should James be sat on the bench at White Hart Lane .

Foster looks unlikely to play at Old Trafford with any regularity this season. Edwin van der Sar has missed large chunks of the campaign through injury, but Sir Alex Ferguson prefers Tomasz Kuszczak over Foster. How can United’s third choice keeper go to the World Cup when Owen, a regular member of the matchday squad at the Red Devils, has to watch on TV?

Robinson, often overlooked by England supporters since he fell out of favour at Tottenham, is continuing to play well out of the spotlight at Blackburn Rovers. Kirkland has also impressed, coping admirably with Titus Bramble in the centre of Wigan’s defence.

If I was to pick an England squad for the rigours of a World Cup now, I would select Green, Hart and Kirkland.

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