Fabio Capello admits the World Cup will be his hardest test as a manager but is already tasting the excitement of the tournament. The England manager and his side go into this evening's draw draw as one of the eight top seeds and he admits to having few concerns about who will end up in their group.

England are guaranteed to avoid the powerhouses of world football such as Brazil, holders Italy and European champions Spain.

But France and Portugal are among the unseeded European teams who could end up in England's pool - as well as several tough African teams such as an Ivory Coast side boasting Didier Drogba and Barcelona's Yaya Toure.

Capello is just relishing the experience of being a manager at a World Cup.

He said: "It will be a great test, the hardest test of me as a manager.

"For me it's the first time I've breathed this atmosphere of the World Cup, the sensation. I can taste it. The airport, the people, the Fifa World Cup, Bafana Bafana, it's exciting.

"It's new for me. As a player it was different, because you think for you, now you have to think of more things, decide more things, check more things. The next five months will be really important to decide everything."

Capello insists Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has plenty of time to shake off his nagging back problem.

"It's not a worry if he's not fit even in January," said Capello. "An Italian example is Alessandro Nesta who was injured for one year, now he's the best, and people are saying please come back into the national team.

"I cannot say he will be fit or not but I hope so - I hope the best England players will be fit."

Football Association chairman Lord Triesman predicted England "will sail through" the group stage if they keep to their qualifying campaign form.

In a rehearsal for the draw, England were drawn with Australia, Slovakia and Cameroon, which Capello would no doubt settle for.

England will have one European opponent and have a one-in-five chance of getting an African team - the other option from that pot is an unseeded South American side.

The fourth opponent will be from Asia, Oceania and north/central America with Mexico and the United States looking as though they are the teams to avoid.