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IF England are to end their long wait for a second World Cup triumph in South Africa next year, they may have Sir Alex Ferguson as well as Fabio Capello to thank.
For while Capello has clearly made a massive impact on the national team with his tactical nous and impressive aura, Ferguson could play a massive role himself.
The Manchester United manager has decided that Wayne Rooney will start in a front two for the defending champions this season, rather than the position he has occupied over the last few years of playing more on the left of a lone striker.
It means the 23-year-old will get his wish to start down the middle and play regularly for his club where Capello wants him to play for his country.
That can only be of huge benefit to England, who know that the former Everton star is the key to beating the very best the world has to offer.
It is not to suggest he has always struggled with the switch from where he has played at club level to the national team in the past.
For example, his incredible talent ensured he scored 20 goals in all competitions for United last season, while for England he has netted an impressive 10 times from his last seven games.
However, before that Rooney went through a drought of three years without a goal in competitive matches between 2004-07.
He admits himself that he should score a lot more and believes Ferguson's decision to play him in his preferred position will help him do just that.
This can surely only have positive repercussions for Capello because a confident striker can make all the difference.
England saw what kind of impact Rooney could make in a major tournament when he fired them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 almost single-handedly only for injury in the match against Portugal to cut short both his and the nation's hopes.
Two years later at the World Cup, his failure to recover fully from a broken metatarsal before the tournament resulted in the team's listless performances and inevitable quarter-final exit.
Obviously, England missed out altogether in Euro 2008 but now they are just one win away from booking their place in South Africa and Rooney's form has again been key.
There is a big difference, though, between playing qualifying games against Andorra and Kazakhstan and beating top-class opposition in Spain and Brazil in a major tournament.
It needs strikers to be at the very top of their game, to have that confidence not to hesitate for a split second when a chance arrives with defenders rapidly closing you down.
Rooney has already showed what he could give United and England this season with his fine goal in the Community Shield against Chelsea on Sunday, when he played on the shoulder of the last man, timed his run brilliantly on to Ryan Giggs's through ball and converted sweetly past the advancing Petr Cech.
The fact it came just 90 seconds from the final whistle and levelled the scores made it even more significant, especially to the watching Capello in the stands.
The England coach said: "I'm pleased he is playing through the middle for Manchester United but I don't know if he'll play the same position in the future.
"I'm happy he plays there. He's always in the centre of the action, can receive and play a lot of passes, can score goals."
England captain John Terry was on the receiving end of Rooney's brilliance when the striker equalized at Wembley three days ago and is in no doubt as to the best threat he provides to opposition defences.
The Chelsea star added: "Wayne's more dangerous for me when he's the deeper of two strikers, when he's floating and he's a free spirit there.
"As a defender, especially if you play one up top and Wayne just off, it causes a bigger problem than having two up front because you never want to leave your other centre half one-v-one.
"Do you go with Wayne and let him turn and run at you or let him pick passes, which he can do?"
He will be looking to do just that in the friendly against Holland tonight, although he will have to wait to see if Emile Heskey will be his partner due to an Achilles injury, otherwise he is expected to play alongside Carlton Cole.
Either way, Rooney is looking forward to the contest and is no stranger to causing the Dutch cause for concern in Amsterdam, having scored in the 1-1 draw against them in a friendly three years ago.
Rooney said: "Holland is going to be a difficult game. They have been in good form lately and have already qualified for the World Cup but we are looking to carry on the momentum we built up from last season.
"I scored against them the last time we played them here and will be looking to do so again. Obviously it is a friendly that will help us prepare for the final three qualifying games.
"It's a bit strange to play it now because normally the first international match of the season is after the first game of the League season but, to be honest, I prefer it to be now."
