Fabio Capello Speaks At Club Wembley Breakfast
England Manager Fabio Capello recently answered questions from Club Wembley members at a special breakfast event. Click here to watch the FATV video from the event.
Fabio discussed the new generation of England players that are now part of the squad
"A lot of young players are improving. You need to wait until the end of the season to understand if the value of the young players will be at the top to play with the seniors. But I think the quality of these players is really, really good.
"We had a gap between the oldest and the young. The players that were 25 or 26 years missed this period and now the young like Wilshire, Jones, Welbeck, Sturridge – it’s really interesting. I think it will be a really good team for the next Euros."
Is there a better balance now of youth and experience than when you took the job?
"I think so. Because the young players are really good and ready to play with the seniors and the experience of the seniors is really important. During the games we need some leaders, people that know something.
"Only one young player, Jack Wilshire – it’s incredible, so young. We need the experience of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Scott Parker. You need this kind of player, plus Rooney, I hope. There’s a really good mix between the youth and experience."
What lessons have you learnt from the FIFA World Cup 2010?
"I learnt that the players arrived at the World Cup really tired. I understood that during the friendly games we played before we went to South Africa. We won but did not play well, like the games we played to qualify. The players were not so fast, not so good. I think you need to change something at the end of the season to prepare for the Euros.
"I need to decide something probably the players. I stay with the players ten days before the Euros will start and it’s really, really important that the players relax after the season. I think that the season here in England is really, really strong and this year will be stronger than last year because the competition between five or six teams will be really important to qualify for the Champions League and I hope that some teams all play the final of the Champions League and the UEFA competitions.
"I think if we arrive fresh and arrive fit we will be competitive."
What lessons have been earned from ‘off the field’ elements of last year’s preparations?
"I think that in South Africa we selected the best place to prepare for the World Cup. Everything was OK. I read something about what happened during the preparations for the World Cup. It said it was a boring period for the players. I saw what happened with the rugby team, but the results were not so good. The other too boring, the other too happy.
"The best way is the result. When we win everything is OK, when we lose, (which I hope not) it will be wrong.
"Over the next two weeks I will go to Poland to check, to control everything about the hotels, the pitches."
Fabio, if you could pick one non-English player to play for England who?
"I am happy with my players. I think we’ve got really good players and I have big confidence in my players. We spoke before about the young players. They are really, really good. I think there are not so many young players that are better in the world than English players.
"I think we need to have the winning mentality in this period and the young players need to improve. I am really happy with my players."
Fabio talks about what he believes is an important ingredient for success in international football
"The one really important thing is that the national teams which won the titles always have six or seven players coming from the same club.
"In Spain, seven players came from Barcelona and four from Real Madrid. Italy, when they won the World Cup in Germany, six or seven players from Juventus. Now, I think Germany have six or seven players from Bayern Munich. It’s easier to build a spirit in a team. You can beat some teams if we have got the spirit. Without that, it’s impossible."
Fabio Capello was talking at an event with Club Wembley members. To find out how you can be a part of Club Wembley, click here for information on hospitality packages available and the benefits on offer. England play a double-header at Wembley next month againstSpain and Sweden. Tickets are now on sale, while The FA also have great discount offers when fans buy tickets for both matches together. Click here for more details...