Hargreaves: I'm ready

Owen Hargreaves wants to cement a regular starting place for himself against Sweden.

The 25-year-old midfielder has been an enigma for the country, as a regular for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, but never having nailed down a starting berth with the country.

Bookings for midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard though, mean Hargreaves should get his first chance to impress from the off since the 1-0 friendly win against Sweden in March 2004.

"I didn't even know it was two years since I last started. It has been a while. I am told it was in Sweden and I think I got man of the match in that one. Maybe it's a good omen," Hargreaves commented.

"Any time you get an opportunity - especially in a tournament like this - to present yourself and help your team to win is brilliant and something you dream of as a footballer.

"It's important to take your chances and that's what I want to do on Tuesday.

"It's my position - playing in the holding role - getting stuck in, winning tackles and laying it off. I feel very confident in that role."

Hargreaves' international career began back in 2001 with a debut against Holland at White Hart Lane, but despite setbacks in the meantime he is still determined to prove himself on the world stage.

England's World Cup performances themselves, have thus far been less than earth-shattering but the Calgary-born player is as sure of himself, as of the country.

"For Bayern Munich, I've proved on the pitch exactly what kind of player I am," he continued.

"I feel I am now a much better player than I was four years ago so I feel confident going into the Sweden game.

"I think it's the sign of a great team, one that wins, keeps a clean sheet and can still perform to a high level. We've won our games, we can play a bit better and I'm sure we will.

"A great team, even though they're not playing the best, still wins the games. Poor teams play great and lose and that's a very bad sign."

The German-based player looks set to line-up alongside Lampard in the centre of midfield for the final Group B game, with Gerrard making way so as to avoid suspension.