Capello looks forward not back as S.Africa beckons

Fabio Capello has consigned England’s Euro 2008 humiliation at the hands of Croatia to the dustbin of history, insisting it will have no bearing on Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley.

Croatia’s last visit to the home of English football, in November 2007, ended with a 3-2 win for the visitors, who duly progressed to Euro 2008 while England missed out.

But Capello, who took charge in the wake of that failure, revealed that he had not even watched a recording of that match.

“I studied Croatia’s game against Belarus on Saturday, I’ve not watched the game of two years ago, it is too old,” the Italian said. “I study always the latest games that we played, not what happened two years ago. It is history.”

Capello also voiced confidence that memories of that fateful night, which brought down the curtain on Steve McClaren’s reign as England manager, would not affect a group of players that is largely unchanged since he took over.

“I think they forgot about this game after we won 4-1 in Croatia (at the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign),” the England coach added.

That stunning win in Zagreb set the tone for a campaign which has seen England record seven consecutive victories so far and a second win over Slaven Bilic’s side would clinch top spot in Group Six and a place in next year’s finals in South Africa.

Croatia were unimpressive in a 1-0 win over Belarus on Saturday and will miss the influence of injured Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric.

But Capello is still expecting a serious test.

“They play very well on the counter attack and they are a compact team,” he said. “I think it could be a tough game.”

As ever, Capello was guarded on his line-up but he is expected to opt for Emile Heskey as a forward partner for Wayne Rooney, despite Jermain Defoe’s prolific recent form.

His other selection dilemma concerns whether to start Aaron Lennon or Shaun Wright-Phillips on the right flank, the position from which Theo Walcott, who is currently injured, plundered a hat-trick in the win in Zagreb.

A defensively shaky performance by Glen Johnson in Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win over Slovenia has triggered criticism of his credentials as an international defender, but Capello was happy to endorse the Liverpool right-back as “one of the best in the world” in his position, suggesting there will be no return to the starting line-up for Wes Brown.