Most of England's provisional 2010 World Cup squad flew out to Austria for the first of two pre-tournament training camps in the altitude of the Alps.

Head coach Fabio Capello was accompanied by 24 of the 30 players he named in his provisional squad last week, the absentees being the five players involved in Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley and Gareth Barry, who is being treated for an ankle ligament injury.

England will be based for most of the next two weeks near the small town of Irdning at a training facility Capello frequented during his time as coach of Real Madrid.

The players are due to return from Irdning on Sunday prior to their May 24 friendly with Mexico at Wembley. They go back to Austria on May 26 and wrap up their preparations with a friendly against Japan in Graz on May 30.

Capello wants his players put through their paces in the thin air of the Alps because much of the tournament in South Africa will be played at altitude, although two of England's opening three matches are actually at sea level.

A medical scheduled for May 24 will determine whether Barry has a chance of being fit in time to make it worth including him in the final squad of 23 players which must be notified to FIFA by June 1.

Much of England's tactical work in Austria will focus on preparing for the possibility that Barry will not be able to fill the midfield holding role he has made his own under Capello.

The Italian is thought to be considering a switch to a three-centreback formation if Barry is ruled out.

That could propel either Ledley King, who has never played for England under the Italian, or Jamie Carragher, who has been persuaded to come out of international retirement for the tournament, into contention for a place in the side that will kick off England's opening match, against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12.

Capello must also make a decision on who is the best foil for Wayne Rooney in attack with Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Peter Crouch and Darren Bent all competing for the role.

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