Gary Cahill has set his sights on earning a World Cup spot and believes his decision to quit Aston Villa to obtain regular football at Bolton has been justified.

Cahill made the £5million switch to the Reebok Stadium during the January 2008 transfer window because Villa boss Martin O'Neill could give him no assurances of a first-team spot.

Now with just eight months to go before the finals in South Africa, Cahill is part of Fabio Capello's plans and has been watched on a regular basis in recent weeks by the head coach.

So far, injuries have led to Cahill being drafted in by Capello from being on standby.

Joleon Lescott's withdrawal has given him his chance to be involved ahead of the qualifiers with Ukraine and Belarus.

And Cahill is confident he would not let his country down should Capello give him his first cap as he looks to learn from training alongside skipper John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

Cahill said: "I left Villa because I was hungry as a young lad and wanted to play week in and week out.

"If I had bided my time there, I might have got into the side and carried on playing there - but I chose to move and I've not looked back since.

"It has turned out to be a good decision for me.

"People say Bolton are not fashionable but, since Fabio Capello took the job, it has never been an issue which club you play for in the Premier League and he has proven that.

"If you are doing the business and performing well, you've always got a chance.

"I play for Bolton but I'm here now with England and I don't think that matters too much in the manager's eyes and that is a great thing."

Cahill is only human when setting his sights on wanting to be part of Capello's plans for the 2010 finals.

He said: "There is the motivation of a World Cup at the end of the season which couldn't be greater.

"There is a massive prize at the end of the tunnel. I am sure everyone in the squad will feel they've got a shout of being involved in that, and I'm no different.

"It is weird because, when you are here, people just get on with the games in front of them and the World Cup is not spoken about too much.

"But there is definitely a sense of competition and that is a good thing whether it is in international football or at your clubs.

"There are a lot of very good players and only a certain number can go to the World Cup.

"There are a lot of games to be played in the Premier League before the World Cup and there are still a lot of changes that could possibly me made.

"But, if I was selected, or if needed to play, then I'm confident I could go out there and do the job. I think it's important you have got the confidence."

Cahill feels he can only reap the benefits from learning off the likes of Terry and Ferdinand.
He said: "It is great to train with players of that calibre, especially with me being a few years behind the centre-backs at the moment.

"They've achieved things you want to achieve in your own career and that spurs you on as well.

"You can always learn off good players. I've still got things to learn, and to learn off players like that who have been there and done it, is only going to bring my game on.

"That is why I like coming away with England and I was thrilled to get the call-up and to work with these guys can only help me."

Cahill's next target is to earn an automatic squad call-up rather than be a replacement player.

He said: "It would be nice if I could do that but I'm not going to argue with getting called up the way I have been for recent games.

"It has been strange the last three times it has happened. I thought it was pretty rare if you were on standby to get called in but it has happened to me. I'm not going to complain."