Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce fears a mental complex could prevent England from winning next year's World Cup.

Allardyce is confident Fabio Capello's men can achieve their familiar standard of reaching the quarter-finals in South Africa.

But he says that is the stage where they will confront the real challenge of their mental - as well as technical - capability.

Allardyce told the Sunday Mirror: "I don't think we should over-hype our chances because we've got a massive psychological barrier to overcome.

"I think we can get to the quarter-finals, but once there we face the big challenge. In the past we haven't quite been able to make that breakthrough.

"We seem to have had a psychological problem getting the players over that huge iron wall. That will be the big test for Fabio and the players.

"Let's just hope it doesn't go to penalties again. We've suffered like the golfer who plays a great round but then, when he's so close, gets the yips."