Fabio Capello desperate to plot his World Cup strategy for England

Fabio Capello revealed his desperation to start plotting England’s bid for World Cup glory last night as he admitted: “This is the challenge of my life.”

Capello and his England stars will discover their potential route to the ultimate achievement when the Finals draw takes place in the shadow of Table Mountain this evening.

And the Italian, who has altered the mood and mindset of England players and fans alike in the less than two years at the helm, revealed that World Cup fever has already taken him over.

Capello said: “I have worked for this all my life. It is what my job, my life, have been about.

“For me, now, it is starting. This is the first time I’ve breathed this atmosphere of the World Cup as a manager.

“Yes, I did it once as a player, in 1974, but this is different. When you are the manager, you have to think for yourself, and decide so many more things, check everything to get it right.

“When I arrived in Cape Town, I felt the sensation. I could feel the World Cup, smell it, taste it - from the airport, the people, FIFA, everything that is here now.

“That is why it is so exciting. Yes, it will be a great test, the hardest test of me as a manager. It is what I want.”

Capello smiled as he savoured the prospect of locking horns with the likes of Brazilian boss Dunga and 2006 World Cup winner Marcello Lippi, both of whom checked into the same hotel a stone’s throw from the Cape Town International Convention Centre where David Beckham will be among the global stars deciding England’s fate.

The Italian believes the first World Cup on African soil will make the tournament wide open and predicted that one of the host continent’s six teams will make the semi-finals at least.

Ivory Coast, with the power of Didier Drogba, appear the most likely of the African sides to tear up the established order and Capello added: “This will be one of the most important World Cups for the African teams. One of these countries will get to the last four.

“I went to see Ivory Coast against Germany last month because it was really important to know the style, the characteristics. They impressed me very much.

“We are used to playing European or South American teams but African football is different.

“It’s really fast. The spirit of the team is to go forward; sometimes they have some problems when they have to defend, but all the players are really good technically, and it’s not easy to play against.

“That surprised me because they play a lot of touches and they found the space to attack the space really fast.

“But also from watching Bafana Bafana (South Africa) in the Confederations Cup, I know now the style we need to win is more or less ball possession, because it will not be easy to run a lot, especially at altitude.”

While Capello insisted he is not bothered by the prospect of drawing France or Portugal in the group phase, he is hopeful of a draw that would reduce travelling around this vast country to a minimum.

He added: “We are checking everything and if it’s possible to stay in the same place for a lot of the time, that is better. If you have to go around the country it’s difficult, especially because of the distances here.

“But we have a really good group of players, as long as we have our best players here and fit. They have the cleverness to plot their way through a tournament like this.

“This is the problem, always the same problem. If you play against Brazil and are without 12 players, it is harder. It is the same with Chelsea or Liverpool. If they miss important players they are not the same team.

“When you play at the World Cup Final you are at the highest level, and good players make the difference - always.”

Lippi revealed he and Capello have a common interest. The grizzled veteran explained: “I met Fabio in the hotel when I arrived and we sat down and had a beer together.

“We agreed that we deserved to be here and that the only shame was that the third great Italian coach, Giovanni, is not in South Africa. Both of us would like to meet again, just before the Final on July 11.”

That is Capello’s ambition too. “I would like to play Italy - but in the final,” he added.

“I want to reach the final and I have big confidence in my team. We’ve played against he best teams in the world. I know the value of the opponents, I know the value of my team and that is why I am so confident.”