SEVEN DAYS TO SAVE TRIESMAN'S JOB

FABIO CAPELLO will become the latest major personality to try and revive England's World Cup bid.

The troubled campaign to bring the tournament to the home of football in 2018 was hit by another setback last week when board member Sir Dave Richards resigned - barely a week after the new set-up was announced.

But it received a shot in the arm yesterday when FIFA executive committee member Jack Warner appeared to endorse England's case after meeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Trinidad.

And the bid team, desperate to paper over the political cracks, will be on a major charm offensive in Cape Town this week when the draw for South Africa 2010 takes place.

David Beckham is flying in from the United States and he will be joined on the World Cup bidding stage by Capello.

The England manager is, of course, there to discover his opponents in South Africa next summer.

But he will also take part in a special bid presentation to the world's media - an event seen as a crucial stage in the timetable.

England 2018 officials are delighted that Beckham is heading to Cape Town and there will be a full programme for the nation's most famous player.

He will meet Warner and the other 23 FIFA members who will decide England's fate in December of next year.

But England's bid team do not want to be seen as a one-man band, relying on the star power of Beckham to woo voters.

And that is why Capello - who will have long departed the country come 2018 - will join the bid chairman Lord Triesman and Beckham in the push out in Cape Town.

It will be a crucial week for the beleaguered Triesman - one which he hopes will save his position. The resignation of Richards was a political uppercut to Triesman, who now knows that one more high-profile expression of discontent will mean he has to stand down as chairman of the bid team.

And that would actually cast his role as the chairman of the Football Association into grave doubt.

Triesman must know that his tenure as FA boss cannot carry on if he fouls up a bid that most experts believe should win the race against Russia and the Spain-Portugal team.

And he is desperate for an end to all the political strife that has dogged the bid's organisation, even though many see him as the main cause.

Richards' resignation caused a certain amount of discomfort but officials believe they regained some ground with a successful day at Wembley when the cities hoping to be a World Cup 2018 venue made their presentations. The successful cities wil be announced in mid-December.

And Warner's remarks following his talk with the Prime Minister also lifted spirits.

Warner - who effectively controls three of the 24 votes - said: "Brown felt England's time had come.

"I agreed.

"England has the best infrastructure to stage the tournament. After a 52-year gap this really is England's time."

The News of the World reported last week how the England bid team had courted Warner and were hopeful he would be supportive, despite his original negative comments.

It appears they have been successful and that Beckham's meeting with Warner in Cape Town this week will certainly seal the deal.

However, senior figures in the bid team are remaining cautious over Warner's backing, knowing that the CONCACAF president can change his tune.

But at least with Beckham and Capello now stepping up to the plate in South Africa, Triesman and the England 2018 board will be hoping their internal troubles will be forgotten.

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