Capello on the defensive

England manager Fabio Capello has hit out at his critics following his side’s 2-1 friendly defeat to France at Wembley on Wednesday.

After England’s shambolic 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign in South Africa, many pundits had suggested Capello should look to blood youth in the build-up to Euro 2012.

The Italian initially resisted the temptation to play youngsters before deciding Wednesday’s match was the right time to hand debuts to Sunderland’s Jordan Henderson and Newcastle’s Andy Carroll.

Henderson was employed in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role while Carroll failed to score despite impressing, but Capello was once again blamed by the British media after his side slumped to defeat.

“All the time I have been reading, ‘You have to put the young players in, young players, young players’,” Capello told Sky Sports.

“This time I put the young players in and we are speaking about the result and the difference between the English and French players.”

The Three Lions supremo said he would continue to keep the faith with some of England’s most talented youth prospects.

“These young players are the future of England. I monitored these players in the (English) Premier League … I know their value,” he said.

“But I also have to understand what really happens when they play with the seniors.”

“I think that some of these young players will play another game when we play in February. It is important to improve and to stay together.”

Capello says he is not worried about the future and was pleased with the impact of Carroll.

“I am not worried. First of all we found really good players, like Carroll, who will be important for the future and can play more important games in Euro qualification,” he said.

“The other players will be young and better the next time they play.”

“Without experience, it is impossible to put young players on the pitch and expect them to play well.”