Jagielka not thinking of World Cup

Everton defender Phil Jagielka admits he is not focusing on gaining a World Cup place as he nears a comeback from a long-term knee injury.

The Toffees centre-half has been out since April after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and subsequently missed the FA Cup final against Chelsea.

The 27-year-old was expected back for the start of this season but having suffered a further setback in November - Jagielka needed a second operation - the former Sheffield United man is still some weeks from full fitness.

Having made his England debut against Trinidad & Tobago at the end of the 2007/08 campaign, Jagielka added two more caps last term and looked among the contenders for a place on the plane to South Africa.

But the centre-half admits those plans are now in tatters.

"I am not sure," he told Sky Sports News, after being asked his chances of making Fabio Capello's squad.

"I was looking to get back before Christmas and hopefully stake a claim but unfortunately I don't know when I will be back, so I am not looking at the World Cup at the minute."

Jagielka did reveal that he was looking to make it back into training within the next three weeks and concentrate on getting back into the Toffees' first-team.

"I tried setting goals early doors, say six, seven months, but obviously at the moment it's been a little longer than I would want. Unfortunately it's quite a complicated injury with your knee," he added.

"You have to do a lot of work with it and take it week by week. I am feeling good, I'm quite refreshed at the moment and hopefully in the next few weeks I will have an inkling as to when I'll be back playing again.

"(It will) probably be in the next two or three weeks, but after eight months or so I can't imagine my first touch being as it was, so it might take me a little while to get sort of game ready but I am looking forward to it."