World Cup 2010: Jamie Carragher says his experience can 'help' England

Jamie Carragher believes his experience could prove invaluable should he be selected to replace Ledley King in England's starting line-up. King injured a groin in the 1-1 draw with the USA on Saturday and while the Football Association today announced that it will assess his fitness on a day-to-day basis, it is privately feared by England's medical staff that the 29-year-old will be out for a minimum of three weeks. Harry Redknapp, King's manager at Tottenham, has said that the defender will receive the results of a scan on his groin later that will determine whether or not he can continue to play in the World Cup. "They [England] are getting the result back from the scan today – if there's a tear in the groin that would make it difficult for him [King]," Redknapp told TalkSport. "That's the problem for him, when you don't train and have to play at that top-class level you're going to pick up injuries." If King is ruled out, Carragher – who came on for him against the USA – is the leading candidate to play alongside John Terry in the centre of the defence, starting with their second match, against Algeria on Friday. "I'm sure my experience will help [the team], experience is a big thing in football," said Carragher. "But there are a lot of experienced players in squad who have been to World Cups before. The squad has not changed that much from four years ago. "I thought I did OK when I came on [against the USA]. There's always players who come on in tournaments and make an impact." Carragher also defended Fabio Capello's decision to name his side for Saturday less than two hours before kick-off and believes the announcement did not play a part in the blunder from Robert Green that resulted in Clint Dempsey equalising for the USA. "I've played for Liverpool for 12 to 14 years and the manager there always tells us the team two hours before the game, I've never known anything different, for me it's pretty normal," said the 32-year-old. "It keeps everyone on their toes. Naming the team early can also have a negative effect – some players may relax in training if they know they are not going to play while others may have the hump. "Personally, I always felt Rob Green was going to start [against the USA] because he started so many games before the tournament. He seems fine now [after the mistake]. Like every player who is part of the England squad, he has great mental strength." Carragher also revealed that he has brought two vuvuzelas – the horns that have become a prominent and, for some, annoying feature of the crowds in South Africa – for his children.