Capello's trip will help promote football development

England manager Fabio Capello will this week embark on a whistle-stop trip to the tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho.

The Italian's trip is to help promote the development of football in Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals.

But it is also hoped the visit will create a favourable impression which should stand England in good stead for a possible 2018 World Cup bid.

Capello, accompanied by former England goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence, arrive in the capital, Maseru, on Tuesday.

The duo will observe English FA coaches conducting a training session involving local school teachers and children.

The English FA, with the support of Fifa, have agreed to help the game develop in southern African countries ahead of the World Cup finals by providing equipment and qualified coaches as well as sponsoring tournaments.

It is hoped by 2010 that as many local teachers as possible will have taken the English FA level one course and will be able to pass on good quality coaching to schoolchildren and young people in rural areas when access to football is limited.

The English FA are also aiming to assist the Lesotho, Botswana and Malawi football associations by installing community-based football facilities in the run-up to 2010.

Then on Wednesday Capello and Clemence will attend the day-long 'Kick4Life' football festival.

'Kick4Life' is a registered charity which uses football as a tool to fight poverty and diseases such as HIV and AIDS in the world's poorest countries.

In addition to being involved on the footballing side of the tournament, including passing on coaching tips, Capello and Clemence will observe an HIV testing demonstration.