Capello knows nothing about new Kazakhstan
Reuters - Friday 10 October 2008, 13:11
LONDON - England manager
Fabio Capello said on Friday that he knew nothing about the
Kazakhstan team he will face at Wembley after their new coach
made wholesale changes to the squad.
While England began their World Cup Group Six qualifying
campaign with away victories over Andorra and Croatia,
Kazakhstan suffered defeats by Croatia and Ukraine, prompting
the sacking of Dutch coach Arno Pijpers and the temporary
appointment of German Bernd Storck.
He made an immediate impact by calling up a host of uncapped
players from the under-21 team he formerly led and leaving out
several regulars.
"I saw three games but it's all changed and now I know
nothing," Capello told a news conference on the eve of
Saturday's match.
"There are a lot of young players coming from under-21s and
I know only four players.
"It's better if you can know everything about your opponent
and it's always different against a new manager but it is
impossible to change their style completely," said the Italian.
With England having been so impressive in Croatia, however,
it should matter little who lines up against them for the former
Soviet republic.
Similarly, the loss of captain John Terry to a back injury
should be only a minor setback as most of the Wembley action
should be taking place at the other end of the pitch.
WELL EQUIPPED
Capello, having again overlooked Michael Owen, looks likely
to start with an attacking formation with Wayne Rooney and
rejuvenated Emile Heskey supported by Theo Walcott, scorer of a
hat-trick against Croatia.
With Steven Gerrard, who missed that game through injury,
back in the side, England look well-equipped to make it three
wins out of three and set themselves up nicely for Wednesday's
trip to Belarus.
Capello, however, has warned against over-expectation --
something that England have suffered from regularly in the past
in the wake of one-off good results.
"I think we will play with more confidence and I hope the
crowd are patient if we don't score early," said Capello, who
said last month that England players were wary of playing at
home because of the pressure.
"I'm 100 percent sure the crowd will be with us," he said.
But they have to help the team ... it is not always easy to
score."
Capello also said that fans and the media should take the
same approach with Walcott and not get on his back if he fails
to light up the stadium by skinning defenders and scoring goals.
"There is a big expectation of course but we have to help
him, he can't play like the last game every time," said the
Italian.
"But we are lucky with (Arsenal manager) Arsene (Wenger), he
knows young players well and he has come back to us the same
player as he was before."
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