VIDEO: Capello FATV exclusive
Sunday, 14 November, 2010
Fabio Capello on France game, Andy Carroll and Christmas.
Click here to watch the interview in full
In an exclusive interview with FATV Fabio Capello urged his England side to put on a good performance against France on Wednesday in front of a sold out Wembley Stadium.
This will be the Three Lions’ final game of 2010 and Capello’s last opportunity to assess his squad before resuming Euro qualifying duties in Wales next March. Consequently, the Italian has promised to field some previously untried players against Laurent Blanc’s resurgent France team.
During the eight-minute exclusive, the England Manager also talks about last month’s 0-0 draw with Montenegro, his meeting with the world's number one golfer Lee Westwood, olive picking and his plans for Christmas.
Looking ahead to Wednesday night’s encounter, he said:
“It will be an interesting game because France will arrive with all their best players.
“The confidence will be really important. We have to play a good game for the fans. I know that it has sold out [and] for this reason we have to play very well and I hope we win.
“We will play with some new players; [Andy] Carroll will be one of these. I hope he will be fit after the weekend’s game. Some [other] new players will play during this game.”
Andy Carroll, who has scored two goals in five England Under-21 appearances, has been in scintillating form for Newcastle United so far this season and has subsequently been handed his maiden Senior team call-up. So, too, have Jordan Henderson, Jay Bothroyd and Chris Smalling.
Pressed further on Carroll’s attributes, Capello said: “He is the classic English [centre forward] but he is good, also, technically. He’s a very interesting player. He is young and I hope [his] performance against France will be good because he is the future for our team.”
Capello has supervised England’s collection of seven points from their opening three Euro 2012 qualifiers and he is expecting the fourth qualifier, against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, to be a tough assignment.
“We played two games at home and one away. I think it will be easier for us to play away to teams like Montenegro, who defend very well [away from home].
“We have to play the next game against Wales. I know it’s a derby and Wales will be another difficult game. For all the teams [in Group G], it is open to arrive first [in the group] but I hope we arrive first at the end.”
England squad in full
Goalkeepers
Ben Foster, Robert Green, Joe Hart.
Defenders
Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards, Chris Smalling, John Terry.
Midfielders
Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Adam Johnson, James Milner, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young.
Forwards
Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jay Bothroyd, Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole, Peter Crouch.