DAVID JAMES: ENGLAND WORLD CUP HOPES DEALT BLOW

PORTSMOUTH keeper David James’ hopes of sealing his England No.1 spot were dealt another body blow last night.

The 39-year-old was forced to pull out of ­Portsmouth’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke after injuring his calf in the warm-up.

The veteran stopper has been warned by England boss Fabio Capello he has to be fit to have any chance of going to South Africa.

But Portsmouth boss Paul Hart snapped at ­suggestions his veteran stopper might not be in contention come next summer.

“He’s injured his calf muscle and that’s about three weeks – the World Cup is next June,” he said.

“Yes, I do think he will be fit for the World Cup.”

James is desperate to ­silence the doubters after being sidelined with dodgy knees and having undergone surgery on his injured shoulder last ­summer.

He has lost his England spot to West Ham’s Rob Green with Manchester United’s Ben Foster also staking a massive claim.

But Hart seemed less than pleased the national boss has put any kind of question marks over James.

He said: “I wouldn’t like to say anything on that. I don’t know how long he’ll be out. His knee thing is not an injury. He had an ­op in the summer and we have to manage it.”

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