Owen backs England to hit peak performance

Owen believes that Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad have developed with experience since the 2002 World Cup, when they reached the quarter-finals, only to be knocked out by Brazil.

Rio Ferdinand may be absent, but Steven Gerrard and Gary Neville are fit again, while Wayne Rooney has come through the ranks.

Eriksson also has a fully-fit squad at his disposal, with Darius Vassell having returned to training yesterday with no signs of any ill-effects following a hamstring injury.

Standby striker Jermain Defoe will remain with the squad for next week's warm-up games against Japan and Iceland in case of any further problems, but confidence in the squad is high.

Owen was certainly confident about the team's prospects as they prepared to fly home from their pre-tournament training base in Sardinia after today's final training session.

''We are definitely in a better position than two years ago because we're virtually the same squad but we're two years wiser,'' he said.

''We have a lot of experience in the team and I think that is going to stand us in very good stead.

''All of our main players are between their mid-20s and 30 - the perfect age to go and win a tournament.''

While Owen, 24, and Steven Gerrard, 23, have youth on their side, along with 18-year-old Rooney, the likes of Gary Neville, David Beckham, Sol Campbell, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes are all 29.

Keepers David James and Ian Walker are the only members of the squad who are over 30.

However, Campbell is about to enter his fifth consecutive tournament, while both Neville brothers, as well as Walker, were also around during Euro 96.

Beckham, Scholes and Owen, as well as Campbell and Gary Neville, were involved back at the 1998 World Cup, ensuring they have experience on their side too.

''All the successful teams are at their peak and have played together for a long time,'' said Owen.

''I feel this England squad is the same now. We are all reaching our peak and this is going to be the acid test for us.''

Owen's confidence is even shared by France striker Thierry Henry, who believes the two countries could meet not only in their first group game of the tournament but also the final.

''You never know what will happen but I think everyone would love to see the two sides meet in the final,'' he added.

''There are a lot of good teams out there - Portugal are at home, Spain, Italy and Holland, while Germany are always there.

''But I think England have a good squad. They won't surprise me but I think they will surprise a lot of people.''

Phil Neville insists England will relish their status as ''underdogs'' against France - as that is when they are at their most dangerous.

Neville was trying to relax the pressure around the squad, with the opening group game against the reigning champions now just over two weeks away.

''It's good to play France first. They are the best team in the world but the pressure will be on them,'' he said.

''Even though they didn't do that well in the last World Cup, they are still favourites for the tournament.

''I think they've got the best squad in the championship and it's going to be one hell of a game, but I think it's well-suited to us.

''We'll be going into the game as underdogs and, when a team attacks us, I think that's when we're at our best because we can hit them on the counter-attack.

''When we've played the top nations in the world, we've always done well. It's an unusual situation for England to be underdogs, but that's how good France are.

''They're a fantastic team with a fantastic squad, but all the pressure will be on them in the first game. Nobody will probably fancy us to win, and that's when we're at our most dangerous.''

Neville believes there will be no surprises in Lisbon on June 13 as the English players already know the French squad so well.

''That's definitely an advantage, as we do play against these players a lot. We know their strengths and weaknesses and there should be no secrets going into the game,'' he added.

Neville is still relieved to be part of the 23-man squad, especially having missed the 2002 World Cup, although he revealed how Eriksson reassured him throughout the build-up to the announcement.

Indeed, the Manchester United utility man provided an insight into how the England coach has built up the respect and support of his players.

''I was always quietly confident that I was going to be selected. He phoned me only a couple of weeks ago and said 'keep yourself fit, are you okay?' so I knew that meant I was in his plans,'' he revealed.

''Even though he's an international manager, there's more of a club-type relationship with him. You speak to him regularly in between internationals.

''If you're suffering from injury, or for instance, when my wife had a baby, he rings up to congratulate you. That's why all the players like him.

''In terms of the way he wins over his players, he doesn't do it by shouting or screaming, he does it by treating the players as adults.

''He doesn't set many rules, lets you behave like men and, if you want to do something that's part of your preparation then, regardless of what the other 20 players are doing, he lets you do it.

''As long as you don't let him down, he'll always encourage you to do whatever you want. He's not upset anybody in the England squad and that is one of his strengths.''

Meanwhile, Owen Hargreaves has revealed his determination to put further pressure on Butt's place in the England side ahead of the Euro 2004 finals.

With Beckham, Scholes and Gerrard assured of their places, Butt is already facing competition from in-form Frank Lampard for a starting role.

However, although the midfielder has not been a regular in the Manchester United side in recent weeks, he could offer England a stronger midfield platform than the more attack-minded Lampard.

Hargreaves, who regularly fills that position for Bayern Munich, declared: ''I think the sitting role is a good one for me, it's what I do best. We'll have to see what the manager's plans are."