Shearer bemoans England progress under Capello

Former England striker Alan Shearer believes England are not progressing under Italian coach Fabio Capello, bemoaning a lack of clear strategy and consistency in team selection.

Shearer told BBC radio on Sunday: “Fabio has been here two-and-a-half years now and I’m not sure we’ve gone forward in that time.

“If every England player was fit I’m not sure he would actually know what system he wanted to play or what team he wanted to play.

“If you look at before we went into the World Cup our qualifying campaign was a huge success but it seems that we have gone slightly backwards from that.

“I’m not sure what system we’d play or what XI we would play if everyone was fit. I don’t know if the manager would either.”

But former Blackburn and Newcastle star Shearer said the problems were likely deeper-lying than the man in charge of the senior squad.

“The problem lies with the kids coming through. How are they taught? What are they taught?

“That is where you have to start from and it will take a long time. Unfortunately in this country we don’t have patience.

“We always put so much pressure on our players that we go into every tournament wanting and expecting to win the tournament. Is that fair? I’m not sure it is.”

Shearer did note one bright spot, however, despite last week’s home loss to fellow World Cup flops France, in the shape of Newcastle’s emerging talent Andy Carroll, who made his England debut against the French.

“I’ve been hugely impressed with the way he has been on the football pitch. I know he has had one or two problems off it but he’s young,” said Shearer, whose one taste of management ended in disappointment when he failed to keep his beloved Newcastle in the Premier League in the 2008/09 season.

“He has scored goals, the future is very bright for him. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s horrible to play against and if he could control his lifestyle he could be a regular for a long time.”