IT'S not exactly how he had imagined it. As Blackburn midfielder David Dunn worked up a sweat in a corner of the gym at Brockhall yesterday, there were only 23 other Englishmen in the world he would have dreamed of swapping places with.

For, while the rest of his Rovers team-mates are no doubt sunning themselves in various far-flung corners of the globe, Dunn is currently stuck in a World Cup limbo.

But, as long as there's the slightest chance of a late invite to the Far East, then the 22-year-old will do everything in his power to keep the dream alive.

It's now a week since he was officially told that he was being placed on World Cup standby together with Leeds United's Alan Smith as injuries started to ravage Sven Goran Eriksson's squad.

And, though it must have felt at times like the longest seven days of his life, England's Under 21 international skipper is perfectly happy to go through his personal training routine at what has now become known as 'Camp David' for as long as his country needs him.

"Obviously, I'd love the phone to go and everyone bar the lads already in the squad would kill to be in my position right now, so I wouldn't change it for the world," said Dunn.

"At the same time, though, it can also be hard as well, especially when people suddenly say you're going and you get your hopes up then nothing happens.

"So that's why I'm trying not to read anything in the papers then if it happens, it happens.

"As you can imagine I've been inundated with requests to go on radio and various TV shows but this is the only interview I've agreed to do because I'd rather not bother in case it gets my hopes up and then I see them dashed.

"At the end of the day, though, the situation is out of my hands because it's all about injuries and, as things stand, it's looking quite good for the lads who are already out there."

Dunn's omission from Eriksson's original 23 raised an eyebrow or two among certain sections of the media.

So when Danny Murphy joined an injury list which already featured the midfield trio of David Beckham, Kieron Dyer and Steven Gerrard, it made perfect sense to put the Rovers midfielder on red alert following some impressive performances for the Under 21s in the recent European Championships in Switzerland.

"I first found out on the day of the Portugal game," recalled Dunn, as he took a welcome break from training yesterday.

"David Platt called me and Alan Smith over and said he wanted a word and we both thought we were in trouble.

"But then he told us Sven had been on the phone and we were both delighted when we heard we were being placed on standby."

That meant all holidays had to be put on hold until June 1 -- the last day Eriksson can make any changes to the original 23 names he filed with FIFA.

And, as the progress reports on Dyer and Beckham seemingly change by the hour, Dunn has had to train on his own in the vain hope that the phone might ring.

"Over the last couple of days I've been in and done a bit on my own but it's more a case of keeping things ticking over, really," said the Great Harwood-born midfield star.

"It hasn't been too vigorous -- in fact it's given me a chance to relax a bit more after a tough season and then the European Championships.

"I've just been doing a few little runs on my own, plus a few weights in the gym."

The latest news from England's training base in Kobe this morning would seem to suggest that Dunn's hopes are diminishing by the hour as both Dyer and Beckham came through their second full training session unscathed.

But if it he ultimately misses out on a last minute call-up, the whole experience of the last seven days will only serve to spur him on.

"If I don't get picked then I'll just have to get my head down and try my best to get in next season," said a philosophical Dunn.

"I didn't think I had a bad season but getting injured on the opening day and then missing six weeks perhaps killed me a bit.

"Then I came back, I felt really good, and scored those two goals against Arsenal at Highbury.

"But then I got injured again and it does take a little bit out of you every time that happens.

"I've probably had more injuries this year than I've had at any time since I was 16.

"So from that point of view, I've perhaps been a bit unlucky but that just makes me all the more determined to come back next season and have a really good crack at it.

"Playing in Europe will help to raise my profile and I just hope I can do alright in it because that may boost my England chances in the process."