Rooney and Cole return to training

(GETTY IMAGES)

England had a double dose of good news this morning as Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole returned to training.

The pair missed yesterday's session, Cole to do rehabilitation work on old injuries and Rooney with an ankle knock he picked up in the opening World Cup draw against the United States.

Happily, the pair were fit enough to return this morning as England continued their preparations for Friday's Group C outing against Algeria in Cape Town.

The one absentee was Ledley King. His presence in the remainder of the competition is in doubt after the Tottenham captain was forced out at half-time at the weekend due to a groin injury.

And although club manager Harry Redknapp hinted King has had a scan and could be out for three weeks, the FA have so far refused to speculate on how long the defender will be sidelined.

However, it seems unlikely King will be involved until the semi-finals at the earliest, if England get that far.

Meanwhile the Three Lions and their manager Fabio Capello have been on the receiving end of a stinging attack from German legend Franz Beckenbauer, who questioned their brand of football against the USA.

In a column for South African newspaper The Times, Beckenbauer said: "What I saw of the English against the USA had very little to do with football.

"It looked to me as if the English have gone backwards into the bad old days of kick and rush.

"I am not sure if the England coach Fabio Capello can still change much there.

"The English are being punished for the fact that there are very few English players in the Premier League as clubs use better foreign players from all over the world."