Those who value wisdom and experience over youth will have been content with Fabio Capello's squad announcement. When news emerged yesterday that Shaun Wright-Phillips, aged 28, had been selected ahead of Theo Walcott, 21, it confirmed a dominant trend in the group of 23 players: a study by the Guardian revealed this is the oldest squad England has ever sent to a World Cup, with a record number of caps to boot.

The average age of 28.7 years pips the previous record of 28.4 established in 1954, a side boosted by the sprightly 39-year-old Stanley Matthews. More significantly it is nearly three-and-a-half years higher than the average age of the World Cup squad four years ago, suggesting minimal evolution of the team in that time.

With age comes experience, however. This England squad have a total of 900 caps between them, an average of 39.1. The previous highest was at Italia 90, when Bobby Robson's side could boast 32.2 caps each.

Inspired by one of their younger number, Paul Gascoigne, that team reached the semi-final but, sadly for those looking for a reason to be excited about England's chances this summer, there does not appear to be any correlation between experience and performance at World Cups. In 1966, after all, Alf Ramsey's triumphant party had a relatively green average age of 26.5 years.

Perhaps Capello is following the template set by his fellow Italians. In 2006 the Azzurri defied their elderliness to win the World Cup with an average age of 29. Last month the Italian league champions, Internazionale, added the Champions League to the season's trophies, José Mourinho's wily and battle-hardened campaigners winning with an average age of 29.7 years.

The best inspiration of all for Wayne Rooney and company is surely England's 2003 Rugby World Cup team. Dismissively nicknamed "Dad's Army" by Australia's Toutai Kefu, Sir Clive Woodward's ageing XV (average 27 years) lasted the pace better than their hosts in the final to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after extra-time.

If David James, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and England's other "veterans" can similarly triumph against the odds, Trafalgar Square can prepare itself for the inevitable open-top parade. Let's just hope they remember their bus passes.