Helge Orome is heading into his first World Cup as England skipper and it’s fair to say he’s looking forward to it.

Orome, the host of Adidas Tango Leagues, and famous for his #NoEntry hashtag on Twitter, reflected on this week’s Group Draw  in Athens and said: “It just means we’re closer to the business!”

Helgz, who has been skippering the new look England side that is looking to take on the world, admitted he didn’t know much about two of the teams his boys are paired against but said: “Uruguay and Cyprus are unknowns, especially as Uruguay are new boys, although I’m expecting a strong showing from everybody. As it is a World Cup you cannot afford to take anything for granted at all.”

Like everyone else there is one game he is looking forward to, though. “Argentina,” he smiled.  “That will be an interesting game with the history over the years between the two nations”, although he joked  “hopefully  we won’t be doing any Beckhamesque stuff in that one!”

The skipper, though, is looking beyond the group stages. “We have eight games. Eight finals. We win eight and we come back successful”.

If that is the dream, Orome was keen to sound a note of reality. “That,” he said, “is easier said than done, but we’ve come a long way and we’re only getting better, stronger and tighter as a unit. It’s helped us the fact that there was so much competition getting in the squad.”

England won the Home Nations series in the spring, a victory they followed up by prevailing in the recent Summer Series. Helge believes this experience will stand them in good stead for the future:  “We’ve come a long way and we’re only getting better, stronger and tighter as a unit, he said firmly. “It’s helped us the fact that there was so much competition getting in the squad. Many teams and players are thinking they deserve to be in the position we’re in right now. I feel the boys have proved their ability and right to be involved in the squad during these past 3-4 months. It’s not easy being scrutinised which presents another challenge in its self and maintaining a high level of performance under pressure.”

Indeed, they plan to thrive on the pressure, as the captain issued a rallying call to the squad and everyone else: “We go there with our eyes firmly focused on our performance and doing the right things the way we’ve been instructed to do so and the results will take care of themselves.

“The World Cup is about performing when it matters,” he elaborated. “We have league, play off and cup winners in this squad. Which gives us a bit of an edge you cannot coach or train. To achieve these things there has to be a level of consistency in performance. It breeds a winning mentality and hunger to win and I’m sure if we bring that same hunger and desire to Crete we will definitely put in a very good showing and make the country proud.”