Capello eyes fresh start and bright future
442 Staff - Thursday 02 September 2010, 17:51
WATFORD - England coach Fabio
Capello hardly looked on Thursday like someone supposedly
hanging on by the thread of two Euro 2012 qualifiers.
The 62-year-old, whose long English honeymoon abruptly ended
with an early return trip home from the World Cup, faces
potentially tricky tests against Bulgaria and Switzerland over
the next week.
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With half of the English press calling for his head since
the 4-1 defeat to Germany in the second round of the World Cup
in South Africa, Capello returned fire on Thursday with nothing
more than his usual confident smile.
Even his English, for so long a target of criticism from his
detractors, seemed a little more fluent when he appeared at a
pre-match briefing ahead of England's return to competitive
action.
Crisis? What crisis? Pressure, what pressure?
"I'm the manager, it's normal," said Capello, as relaxed as
a regular at England's plush golfing resort hotel north of
London.
He has his problems, of course. John Terry, Frank Lampard
plus striker Peter Crouch are all sidelined through injury and
Bulgaria and fellow World Cup flops Switzerland, on Tuesday,
both threaten to derail Euro 2012 ambitions early.
'WITHOUT FEAR'
"We have to play without fear," said Capello, whose job
earns him around 6 million pounds ($9.25 million) a year.
"I saw the players trained well today and with confidence
and I hope they play like that against Bulgaria.
"It will not be easy to play against them, they will defend
with nine players and one forward and play the counter-attack
really fast and with quality.
"But this is not an excuse. We have to win, we have to play
well and I hope the fans get behind us during the game."
Capello, who has been under intense pressure in his
illustrious club managerial career before - "the second time at
Real Madrid and the second time at Milan" was how he summed up
his most intense periods.
But he rarely loses his cool, at least in his public
dealings with the men who are his severest critics. So it was on
Thursday.
"Since the World Cup I have changed some things, I always
learn something after new experiences and games, I've changed
some things, but not a lot."
He proferred no further explanation of what that might be
although playing newcomer Phil Jagielka and the much-criticised
Matthew Upson in the centre of defence in the absence of Terry
and the recovering Rio Ferdinand would give at least some
coaches cause of considerable concern.
"I hope they will be really focused and I hope (Ashley) Cole
and (Glen) Johnson will help these players."
He said he was also delighted that Wayne Rooney's five-month
goal drought was over.
"I monitored him during the last game that he played against
West Ham," said Capello.
"He's good, he's back and I'm happy because he scored a goal.
"Rooney runs a lot around the pitch, he's free to move
where he decides to go. Rooney will play on Friday in style."
Under Capello, England won their first eight World Cup
qualifiers and ended that campaign with nine wins out of 10, and
he could do with the same sort of form as England re-build after
their World Cup failure.
Whatever happens, however, on Thursday's evidence he seems
determined to continue his career with both dignity and good
humour firmly intact.
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