Base camp pitches not up to scratch admits England chief Fabio Capello

England are ready to change plans and move their World Cup base camp - unless the pitches at their luxury complex are brought up to scratch.

Fabio Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini conducted a four-hour inspection tour of the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus and Hotel before flying in to Cape Town for tonight’s Finals draw.

But while the England camp are happy with the hotel and medical facilities at the £20million complex which is in the final stages of construction, the three pitches that have been set aside for training have been described as “barely adequate”.

FA chiefs are sending sports turf experts out to try to improve the situation but Capello revealed he will demand England choose another base unless the pitches are good enough for his players to train safely.

Capello said: “The hotel is really good. The facilities are really, really good. But the problem is the pitches. The pitches are not great.

  “What matters most is the training ground, the standard of the pitch. The pitches are very important for training - because we need to find the same pitches we’ll play matches on.”

Unlike the rye grass used in England, the African pitches are turfed with kukuyu or “jungle“ grass, which has a tendency  to grow patchily, leaving bare areas.

During last summer’s Confederations Cup, FIFA chiefs demanded the bare spots be painted green.

And while it is expected that the problems - denied by a Royal Bafokeng spokesman, who have staked their entire investment on hosting England - will be  sorted out, Capello warned: “We have another option and we have to choose. We have enough time.”