FIFA's head of artificial turf has told England's team psychologist the players need to overcome their mental fears of playing on a synthetic pitch in Russia next week.

Wednesday's match at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium is set to determine whether the team qualifies for the Euro 2008 finals, and two players with experience of the surface - Birmingham's Garry O'Connor and Fulham midfielder Alexei Smertin - have warned Steve McClaren's side will face problems.

However, Bill Beswick, McClaren's team psychologist, recently met FIFA's artificial pitch expert Nigel Fletcher and was given the results of the latest research into football turf' - as the latest generation of artificial surfaces are now called.

Fletcher said: "Bill Beswick came to our round-table discussion where we looked at the psychology of playing on football turf.

"We found that many of those people who influenced players had experienced a different generation of artificial turf surfaces - the plastic pitches in England during the 1980s at QPR and Luton - and had had very much a negative experience.

"However, if these negative experiences are communicated to players preparing to play on football turf', this will mean that the players will not be in the correct mental state, as a negative vibe has been created.

"Those who play football accept that defeat often stems from the inability to manage anxiety, fear, anger or despair.

"Having a strong and committed coaching philosophy that supports the use and benefits of FIFA-recommended football turf will help alleviate the potential fears and anxiety of professional players."

Fletcher instigated a study by Pro-Zone, who provide hi-tech football coaching video systems for managers, to see whether the type of football was fundamentally different on the latest artificial pitches used by two clubs in the Dutch top flight compared to grass.

"They looked at 100 matches and the evidence is that there is really hardly any differences," said Fletcher.

"Perhaps the ball speed is quicker - but then it differs on grass depending on the length it is cut to and whether it has been watered."

l Meanwhile, England captain John Terry is a doubt after being sent for a scan on his knee.