He may not be Darth Vader but no one wants to get on Fabio Capello's dark side
He might not be Darth Vader but as John Terry revealed this morning nobody in the England camp wants to get on the dark side of Fabio Capello.
Terry's admission of the fear that Capello will single a player out for his inquisitorial treatment is the strongest sign yet of the awe and respect in which the England boss is held by his squad.
Strong managers, like Capello, Fergie and Wenger, carry that weight of authority with them, ensuring the players under their command have an extra incentive to get things right.
Of course, you can only do that if the players believe - like Chelsea did under Jose Mourinho - that the manager will lead them to the glory they crave.
The fact is that when Capello takes Rio Ferdinand to one side for a dressing down , the message gets home. And if it doesn't, then the player can prepare to face the consequences .
With 75000 tickets already sold for tonight's game against Belarus at Wembley - and the turnstiles will be open for "walk up" supporters who make a last minute decision to attend - the England fans want to congratulate Capello's side for their outstanding efforts to date.
By picking what he accepts is an "experimental" side, with a first competitive start for Gabby Agbonlahor up front, Capello is beginning official auditions for the remaining places in his World Cup squad.
That is the right approach. There is nothing on the game except pride and the mood will be celebratory, despite Capello's insistence that England have only achieved the first step towards their final destination .
What the players on duty must show is that they understand their own responsibilities. If not, even Luke Skywalker and Han Solo couldn't get them onto the flight to South Africa.
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