By sportswriter Wang Zijiang

    BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- After five and a half years as England coach, Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson hopes his final game in charge will be the World Cup final on July 9 in Berlin.

    But whatever happens to his star-studded team, the 2006 World Cup finals is his farewell journey. The 58-year-old, England's first ever foreign national coach, will hand over to his assistant and Englishman Steve McClaren after the tournament.

    Two months ago, everybody, like the former Italian Serie A side Lazio's manager, was confident that England is the red hot favorite to lift the trophy. They have everything in the squad.

    With the likes of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole and John Terry all having emerged in the world-class bracket over the past four years, with captain David Beckham and Michael Owen still in their prime, you have every reason to believe that.

    "If we have all the players fit, then I'm very, very confident," Eriksson said.

    Unfortunately, the "if" is gone now.

    Rooney, England's most dangerous player, then broke his foot on April 29, throwing the 20-year-old's participation into doubt. He is certain to miss at least the start of the tournament.

    Eriksson's 23-man squad caused big controversy in the country after he called up Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing. The trio have just one cap between them but that does not deter the England boss.

    Eriksson admitted that he might have made the biggest gamble of his entire football career by taking 17-year-old Walcott to the World Cup, but the gamble will paid off during the tournament.

    He said: "Maybe it is my biggest, bravest, boldest gamble. It is a bit of a gamble. If you take a 17-year-old boy to the World Cup of course you cannot be sure. The feeling is that he is ready for it. I don't think he will be nervous or feel the pressure."

    Eriksson said: "I've always been ready to take out players and put in younger players if necessary."

    Rooney was only 17 and starting his first England game in the Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey, in Sunderland, in April 2003, where he made an immediately impact and has never looked back since.

    The Swede's preferred starting 11 is well established with Paul Robinson in goal and a back four of Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Terry and Ashley Cole. His midfield will be patrolled by a quartet of Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard and Joe Cole.

    Up front in the absence of Rooney, Owen, who has recovered wellfrom a similar injury last December, will be England's first-choice striker and Eriksson will start him alongside lanky Peter Crouch. He will show Walcott as his secret weapon at the most crucial moment.

    "I believe we are one of the five or six teams who can win it,"Eriksson said. "If we enjoy a bit of luck our ambition must be to be in the final in Berlin on July 9."

    Eriksson took over the job in 2001 at a time when England were struggling to qualify for the World Cup in Japan and South Korea. He revived that campaign and later qualified easily for Euro 2004 but England crashed out of both tournaments in the quarter-finals.

    He said: "It has been a huge honour for me to be the coach of England. I am excited about what we can achieve in this World Cup.We have a chance to make history. " Enditem