Jack leaps to Capello defence

The Italian coach has felt the backlash of England's dismal World Cup campaign over the last nine months, attracting criticism from both the media and supporters. But 19-year-old Arsenal midfielder Wilshere, who produced another impressive display for his country during Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Ghana, believes Capello deserves some relief.

Wilshere said: "Before the World Cup he couldn't do wrong and since the World Cup everyone has been getting onto his back."I think we need to give him a break. He is a great manager. "He has proved it at clubs before and he has got a great record for England as well. He is one of the best managers I've ever worked with. People need to get off his back a little bit."

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll hit home his first England senior goal two minutes before the break in Tuesday's friendly international. Wilshere added: "That will be massive for Andy. He has been brilliant this season. He got himself a good move [from Newcastle to Liverpool].

"He will be brilliant for the future of English football. He got a good goal tonight and hopefully it's the first of many for England." While disappointed to see England miss out on another win having triumphed in Wales at the weekend, Wilshere admits Ghana deserved a share of the spoils after Asamoah Gyan's last-gasp equaliser.

Wilshere said: "It was another invaluable night's experience for me against a good Ghana team. Physically they were brilliant and we had to match them - and we did. "It was a shame they got a goal at the end but it was a fair result. We started off great again like on Saturday against Wales and the manager wants us to do that."

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Capello hails Carroll display

The £35million striker's first-half strike looked like earning England a Wembley victory until Sunderland's Asamoah Gyan levelled for Ghana in stoppage time. It was a fitting conclusion to an evening of immense promise for England, with Capello delighted by Liverpool frontman Carroll's contribution on his second senior international appearance.

Carroll has only recently returned to club duty after a thigh injury and Capello was pleased with hisreturn. "It is important for the strikers to score goals," Capello said. "He was the same player that I saw before he got injured. He ran a lot but he needs games. He is a big person, so it is impossible for him to recover quickly, like Jack Wilshere or Aaron Lennon."

Carroll's was just one of a number of pleasing performances that kept the crowd entertained. Stewart Downing and Ashley Young also turned in outstanding displays, leaving Capello pleased. "I am really happy because I saw a fantastic game," the England boss said.

"It was not a friendly game. Every tackle was a fight. The players did very well and the new players did very well. It is interesting for me to know the value of the players when they have a match at Wembley."

The crowd also got to see Danny Welbeck, who was introduced for his debut to huge boos from the vast visiting contingent after he snubbed the opportunity to play for Ghana, the birthplace of his parents. However, Capello has denied handing Welbeck his debut just to keep him out of Ghana's clutches.

"Absolutely not," said Capello, when asked whether he was merely blocking Ghana from picking Welbeck in the future. "I work for England. I always select the best players for England. Yesterday, Aaron Lennon was injured. That is why I picked Welbeck.

"Danny Welbeck is going to be a very important player for England and Manchester United," said Capello. "I monitored him last year. He was an important player then. I went to see him three times but then he got injured. However, he is a really good player."

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Capello hits out at Mourinho over England talk

England manager Fabio Capello maintains that he would never comment on rumours that Jose Mourinho was the Football Association's first choice to replace Steve McClaren in 2007 out of ''respect''.

Mourinho, speaking in L'Equipe this week, had claimed he was within "hours" taking the England job before changing his mind. "I almost signed up," he said. "But at the last moment I pulled back, preferring to wait for the right job to come along, a good club, a challenge that could motivate me. That was Internazionale."

Asked about Mourinho's remarks ahead of the friendly clash with Ghana, Capello initially claimed it did not matter to him who the FA had on their list.

"I don't know," he said. "This is a question for the chairman that chose me, not for me. It does not matter. Absolutely not. Every time a club or a national team decides to choose a manager, they decide to speak with a lot of managers. It's normal. This is not different."

But then he delivered a sideswipe to Mourinho in claiming he would never talk about another job.

"I don't like to speak about my relationship with other clubs or teams out of respect for other managers,'' he added. ''I don't like to speak about this. I've said enough."

Capello also claimed that criticism he has not picked up the English language after three-and-a-half years is unfounded, as he only needs 100 words to get his point across.

''When I speak with the players they understand everything and that is what is important in this job,'' he said.

''If I need to speak about the economy or other things, I can't, but when you speak about tactics, you don't use a lot of words. I don't have to speak about a lot of different things. Maximum 100 words.''

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Welbeck earns Capello call

The Manchester United player has scored six Premier League goals during his temporary move to the Stadium of Light and that form has been recognised by Fabio Capello. England look set to name as many as 11 changes against Ghana at a sold-out Wembley in a completely new team to that which defeated Wales in Euro 2012 qualifying last weekend.

Liverpool's £35million striker, Andy Carroll, is set to lead the line and Welbeck is therefore expected to feature on the bench and could make his senior team debut as a substitute. Welbeck has made 10 appearances for England's Under 21s, scoring three goals, but was not involved on Monday night, when Stuart Pearce's side suffered a disappointing defeat to Iceland.

The 20-year-old was excused from duty because he only recently returned from the injury which caused him to miss the majority of January and all of February at club level. But Capello has decided to call Welbeck, who scored in last week's U21 4-0 win over Denmark, into his senior squad.

Welbeck recently told the Newcastle Chronicle that his involvement with the U21s was important to him, despite the decision to not be involved against Iceland. He said: "I enjoy being part of the England U21s and I don't like missing games.

"It is fantastic to get picked for your country at any level and pulling on the Three Lions shirt means a lot to me. I'm at the stage of my career where I'm trying to make a name for myself. Coming to Sunderland this season is part of that and playing for the England U21s is another part of that - my performances for the U21s actually helped me get noticed in the first place."

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Capello warns Carroll to drink less

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll's career will stall if he does not curb his drinking habits, according to England boss Fabio Capello.

Capello has held private talks on the subject with Carroll, who will make his second England start in Tuesday's friendly with Ghana at Wembley.

Although Carroll has enjoyed a meteoric rise this season, earning a ?35 million move to Anfield in January, his private life has come under scrutiny.

The 22-year-old has been caught up in a string of alcohol-fuelled bust-ups, and was fined ?1,000 by former club Newcastle in October following a nightclub fight.

"Look, he's young. Really young," Capello said. "But his behaviour now is really important. He needs to be careful at every moment. When you play with England you are the focus of the fans, the newspapers, the photographers, the people who live around you.

"I spoke with him privately. I think not only Andy likes to drink beer. He's strong. He's a good forward. But he needs to improve, to drink less."

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Capello - Rio talks still on

The Manchester United defender was stripped of the armband last week as the Three Lions prepared for a Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales.

In the wake of ongoing injury problems, it was decided to relieve Ferdinand of the honour.

Chelsea centre-half John Terry was reinstated to the role, 13 months after he was stood down following allegations about his private life.

Capello admitted in the build-up to the Wales game that the issue could have been handled better, with Ferdinand discovering his fate through the media.

Talks were due to be held between the United ace and his national coach, but such discussions failed to materialise.

Capello is still planning to explain his decision, though, and hopes he will get the chance to meet with Ferdinand at some stage in the near future.

It is important that he gets the opportunity to explain his side of the story, as vice-captain Steven Gerrard revealed on Sunday that he had been made aware of the decision through a telephone call.

Pressed on the issue during a press conference on Monday, Capello said: "Rio was the captain, Steve was the vice-captain.

"I hope that over the next few weeks I will meet with him (Ferdinand)."

Capello has also revealed that he allowed Terry, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Michael Dawson to return to their clubs ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Ghana in order to protect them from injury.

He said: "The players that aren't here, those that went home, are not here because if you are tired it is easy to be injured."

The Italian will also be giving his full support to Jack Wilshere's claims for an U21 berth this summer, with the Arsenal youngster revealing that he hopes to step out of the senior fold and join the Young Lions at the European Championship.

Capello added: "Yeah, I will support him 100 per cent because I think the players will be really important for the Under 21s.

"Those players can make the difference."

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Capello pleased with England system

England coach Fabio Capello felt that his team's 4-3-3 system was a key factor in his team's 2-0 win in Wales.

Frank Lampard and Darren Bent scored as England moved to the top of Euro 2012 qualifying Group G.

"We played really well, we passed the ball quickly and created chances to score goals with no chances for Wales," said Capello.

"This formation is really good because some players like Ashley Young are improving a lot."

Scott Parker played in a holding midfielder role, with Jack Wilshere and Frank Lampard given licence to push forward.

Capello defends England tactics

Bent spearheaded the front line, with Wayne Rooney starting on the left and man of the match Young on the right.

"The goals that we scored were really nice and in every moment we were focused on the game, which was important," added Capello, who hinted that he might make 11 changes for the friendly against Ghana at Wembley on Tuesday.

"I decided after watching games Wales have played to use Parker and two midfielders. I decided for a new position for Rooney and Young.

"When we are defending they stay wide, when we have the ball Wayne comes in and it was a problem for Wales.

"Parker is a good player in the holding position, he won back a lot of balls and we need someone like him in that role."

Lampard put England ahead from the penalty spot after seven minutes following a clumsy challenge on Young by Aston Villa team-mate James Collins.

Bent then slotted home a low cross from Young after 14 minutes as England built up an impressive early lead.

"It was a new formation for us but people knew what they were doing and it worked," said Young.

"We worked on getting the ball back as soon as we lost it and putting them under pressure straight away."

England captain John Terry

The match was the first since John Terry was reinstated as captain of England on a permanent basis - and the central defender was pleased with a winning return to the role.

"The new system was very positive," said Terry. "The attitude was to get at them and press them high up the pitch to stop them breaking out early."

The vast majority of the 68,959 supporters inside the Millennium Stadium booed throughout God Save the Queen as the national anthem of the England team was played prior to the match.

"It was not nice and sometimes it can have the reverse effect," added Terry when asked if it motivated his players.

"We set the tempo early and it was very important that we over-powered their fans, we silenced them after the opening goal."

Terry revealed that England had practised regaining possession in the build-up to the game.

"We worked on it and during the first half we did it really well," added Terry. "In the second half the lads felt a little bit tired. We are back on top of Group G and we must keep winning."

Meanwhile the Football Association will not be making a formal complaint over the shining of lasers in the eyes of players when Scott Parker was replaced by Phil Jagielka.

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Gerrard - Capello called me

The manager spoke to me. He spoke to me and just explained what he'd been doing - he didn't have to.

Steven Gerrard
Quotes of the week

Steven Gerrard has revealed Fabio Capello spoke to him about the England captaincy - even if he ignored deposed skipper Rio Ferdinand.

The Italian has come under criticism after performing a U-turn and handing the armband back to John Terry, having previously stripped him of the job for his off-field behaviour.

Capello did not speak to Ferdinand about his decision despite being at Old Trafford for Manchester United's UEFA Champions League game with Marseille earlier this month.

But Gerrard, who is the vice-captain, told Goals on Sunday that the England coach called him to explain the situation, even though he was not part of the squad for the Wales game.

"I did actually get a call," revealed the Liverpool midfielder. "The manager spoke to me. He spoke to me and just explained what he'd been doing - he didn't have to.

"The manager's paid to make big decisions and he's made the decision and I think we all have to respect it and move on."

Gerrard, who captained England at the 2010 World Cup, also gave his backing to Terry, even though he had some sympathy for Ferdinand.

But he also insisted the England players were fully behind Capello's decision and called for a line to be drawn under the whole incident.

"The captaincy's very important and I'm really pleased for John that he's got it back because I know what it means to him," he said.

"I know he's been frustrated since he lost it.

"We have to all respect the manager's decision. The good thing is that we went on and won the game and played well.

"We can all move on from the captaincy thing now. Everyone's obviously upset for Rio because he hasn't done anything wrong to lose it."

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Capello under heavy fire from English press

Fabio Capello has come under attack once more from the English press ahead of Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier in Wales.

Capello faced fierce calls for his resignation after the poor showing at the World Cup last summer, and many newspapers have been heavily critical of the way he handled the reinstatement of John Terry as captain.

Capello acknowledged in his press conference on Friday that he had "regrets" over the way the situation unfolded but, on Saturday morning, there seemed little acceptance of the apology.

In The Sun, which has been at the forefront of the recent attacks on Capello, the headline reads 'Confusion reigns large in the bizarre world of Fab'.

"Yesterday's press conference in Cardiff was supposed to answer many of the questions surrounding the switch in captaincy from Rio Ferdinand to John Terry," Steven Howard writes. "Instead, it was like one of the more disjointed scenes between Basil Fawlty and Manuel in Fawlty Towers."

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson, in his Daily Mirror column, adds: "Once John Terry steps onto the pitch in Cardiff, he will be a good leader and captain for England, but Fabio Capello's handling of the whole issue has been a farce and an embarrassment."

Even the broadsheets have been critical. Henry Winter in the Telegraph writes a piece under the headline 'Fabio Capello's sorry display raises more doubts about Italian's leadership style', while Barney Ronay, writing in The Guardian, adopts a lighter tone but is also less than complimentary about the England manager.

"There is without doubt something missing with England, a thrill-shortfall, an absence of umbrella-gnawing desperation, and I believe this comes straight from Fabio Capello," Ronay writes. "Parading the touchline he seems instead to radiate the mute and gurning fury of an elite concert pianist forced to queue for a kebab."

Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail provides a dissenting voice. "It was another funny old day for Fabio Capello," he writes. "He awoke to headlines claiming the players no longer feared him, and others that he should issue a grovelling apology over his handling of John Terry's reinstatement as England captain.

"So what's it to be then, eh? Do we want a subjugated manager pleading for forgiveness through the newspapers to a player who may not pull on an England shirt again this season? Or do we want the return of the brusque authoritarian who ruled his squad with an iron fist and meted out doses of solitary confinement between coruscating team meetings?

"Actually, we want it all ways. We want to gnaw on the captaincy like a dog with a bone, refusing to let the issue rest while portraying it as Capello's point of weakness, and his grudging admission that the personal touch was missing in his dealings with Rio Ferdinand fed the monster for another 24 hours."

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Capello criticises Ferdinand

Capello has reinstated Terry as captain ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifier with Wales after a year's 'punishment' following high-profile personal issues and is now set to lead the Three Lions out at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Capello claims he was 'upset' for Terry during the game with Denmark when the captain's armband was handed out to a number of players while the Chelsea defender watched on.

An injury to Ferdinand means the Manchester United defender is unable to link up with the squad but rumours suggest that he is unhappy with the way the matter was dealt with, only finding out Capello's decision through the media.

However, the Italian has now laid the blame at Ferdinand's door by claiming he did not come to meet him when he visited Old Trafford for a UEFA Champions League clash earlier in the month.

Capello said: "It didn't happen, he didn't come. He didn't come."

Asked why the pair did not meet, he added: "This is a question for him, not for me. I was in the directors' box.

"I tried to meet him (Ferdinand) when Manchester United played against Marseille but he told me no.

"I can understand everything, but I need to make decisions. I think I will be happy and will meet him in the future."

Capello also admitted making mistakes during his handling of the captaincy, saying: "Sometimes I regret what happened. It is possible to do some things better, but it is the past.

"I can understand everything, but I need to make decisions."

Meanwhile, the former AC Milan coach has defended his decision to give the armband back to Terry following a year in the wilderness.

Terry has spoken of his pleasure at being reinstated and Capello admits his mind was made sure during the friendly against Denmark in February.

"Something happened in my mind when I saw the armband being passed around during our game in Copenhagen," he remarked.

"We changed it in the second half and it was unfair for John Terry to see this.

"I thought that it was time for John Terry, after punishment, to return and be captain.

"I know that Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard are not fit. I knew it was the moment, with one game which is so important, to have one captain like John Terry.

"I spoke with the players and personally with some players, and I spoke with the squad before I decided that John Terry will be the captain, and all the players were happy because John Terry was always a very important leader on the pitch and to the team."

England take on Wales in what is an important game in their quest to qualify for next year's tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

Capello is aware of the significance of the contest in Cardiff and was keen to discuss the match rather than the issue of the captain.

He said: "Are we here to speak about the captaincy or the Wales game? It is a really important game tomorrow."

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