'It was important we played well'
Wednesday, 10 June, 2009
Fabio Capello was pleased his side performed for the fans present at Wembley.
Manager Fabio Capello hailed England's attacking display as The Three Lions made it a magnificent seven on the road to the World Cup in South Africa.
A thoroughly predicatable thumping against minnows Andorra means England are within one result of next summer's showdown and Capello has urged his team to make one final push to get there.
England will make it to the World Cup if they beat Croatia at Wembley in their next qualifying clash in September and Capello says his men are high on confidence.
"Yes, I like the performance," he said.
"I am very happy for the fans here and the people who stayed. Some arrived with some problems, but it is important we played well for them. I am pleased we played well for these people."
Capello has transformed England's fortunes and has masterminded their 100 per cent record on the road to South Africa so far. Although England still need to dot the i's and cross the t's, the performance against Andorra provided a glimpse of the attacking football fans can expect if they make it to next summer's World Cup.
For a country with the highest life expectancy anywhere in the world, Andorra seemed intent on committing footballing suicide as early as the third minute when Wayne Rooney headed home and it was then a case of how many England would get.
In the end, The Three Lions settled for six with Rooney scoring another to take his tally to 10 in seven games, while Frank Lampard, a Jermain Defoe double and Peter Crouch's strike completed the rout.
Just under 59,000 managed to make it to Wembley to see the thumping but despite the poor opposition, Capello was pleased at how England cut apart Andorra.
"We scored early and had a lot of chances, so I am happy," he added.
"You have to win another game to be sure of the World Cup, but we have a spirited group with a will to win."