James plays for keeps

"The classic was the friendly against Spain. I had played in the game before that against Italy and there was a good opportunity to impress. Sadly I went back to Aston Villa and, three days later played poorly in a Premiership match against Sunderland in front of Mr Eriksson. I'm not blaming anyone else but I just didn't take the chance."

James, however, is considerably more experienced this time around and is relishing the chance to start Saturday's match against the Portuguese at the headquarters of his previous club, Aston Villa.

"It will be good to play there if selected," he said. "I had a good reception when I went back there with West Ham, and it will be good if I have an opportunity to play in front of those fans again."

James should be in good trim. He has had plenty of work so far behind a fragile West Ham defence and said: "I'm not happy with the number of goals we've conceded, eight in three games, but personally I'm happy with my form.

"Now myself and Paul Robinson have this opportunity to perform in front of the England coach. After that it's up to me to go back to West Ham and not mess it up."

James admits the summer's Japanese World Cup experience was frustrating at times.

"It was awesome and I wouldn't have missed it for the world but it was hard at times, even stressful.

"For those who played, the emotion and adrenalin was there but they could release it out on the pitch. For players like me, Martin Keown, Wes Brown and one or two others, there was all the build-up without the release.

"Sometimes things bubbled over and I can recall once having a few angry words with Martin. It was about nothing really. It happens all the time and within a few seconds it was over. It was just the two of us letting loose, helping to relieve the stress."

There was a little stress also for James earlier this week, before Eriksson named his squad. "I got such a buzz when my name was in there," he said.

The England coach, though, has left the door open for Seaman to return for England's opening European Championship qualifier against Slovakia next month. "He is still a fine goalkeeper, maybe still the best in this country," he said.

James has no problem with that. "If David is the best then he should play," he said. "If not, then whoever is the number one English goalkeeper should have his chance to make an impression."

There is no word of criticism from him either , and perhaps you would not expect it, on that Ronaldinho quarter-final winner for Brazil. "It was a fluke," says James. "Ronaldinho said he meant to do it but he has to say that because he's Brazilian.

"All I would say is that, when you're out there in goal, things look completely different from the way they appear on TV. I've conceded some bad goals in my time so I know."

James's club manager, Glenn Roeder, believes that conditions couldn't be better for his goalkeeper.

"He's 31, prime time for a keeper and David Seaman isn't breathing down his neck," said Roeder.

"The England coach has virtually said to him: 'There's the stage, go out there and perform.'

"I wouldn't have swapped David for anyone else last season. He was tremendous."I know he enjoyed the World Cup experience but I realise also that it was frustrating for him."He had to prepare for every match. In the end it didn't happen but he has another chance now.

"If he plays well he has a good chance of making the England goalkeeper's jersey his own."