His name is Rio and he's watching from the stands

Emile Heskey announced over the weekend that this year he has been filming a new show for ITV 7+1 HD - 'Emile's World Cup Wind Up's'. His first victim of a hilarious prank was Rio Ferdinand, famous for his own attempt at 'merking' his team mates back in 2006. This time it was Rio himself who got Merk'd thanks to Emile's lumbering idiotic clumsy self battering into him during training, robbing him forever of the chance to captain his country at the World Cup.

Rio, you been merk'd son. But what does this mean for England?

The likelihood is that Deadly Ledley King will step in alongside John Terry at the heart of the defence. Whilst King is without doubt one of the finest defenders in the entire Premier League, the chances of him breaking down 10 minutes into the first game against the USA in less than a week (!) will have Fabio Capello in cold sweats.

Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that John Terry is not a pacy defender. King is deceptively fast but is certainly not as rapid as you would ideally want for your last line of defence. One upshot of this enforced change is likely to be a greater burden on the full backs Cole and Johnson, both of whom are very quick. This pace will be called upon to cover in behind the two creaking centre backs - and with Cole and Johnson both offering a good deal in the way of attacking threat, this could well limit England.

Ferdinand is arguably one of the last people in the squad that Capello would have wanted to lose. He won't be wishing injury on anyone (until sloppy mistakes are made and he goes all Don Corleone on the touchlines) - but after Rooney and probably Gerrard; Rio was one of the core players in the spine of this team. Although he has had an injury-affected season, his class has been obvious for many years - the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea saw him emerge as one of England's few genuinely world class players, and earned him a £30m move to Man United. His ability to read the game, his physical presence but above all else the way in which he can bring the ball out of defence and build the play will be sorely missed by Capello's men.

Other teams are also suffering from the loss of key players to injury - Robben and Drogba doubtful, Essien, Ballack, Mikel all out - and England should certainly be able to cope without Rio and progress through their group.

In the latter stages of the tournament however, when against first rate opposition and after Ledley's knee has blown up bigger than a Guatemalan sink hole, we'll be crying out for the man with the ridiculous lips. Brap.

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