PREVIEW: Capello seeking to set the record straight

By Jonathan Wilson Sep 2, 2010, 12:11 GMT

London - If the England manager Fabio Capello had any doubts about how much his reputation had been affected by the World Cup, they disappeared last week.

Then, as it became apparent he would not pick either Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere or Newcastle United9s Andy Carroll, suddenly flavour of the month after scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa , he was pictured on the back page of the Sun with ass9s ears amid a welter of weak donkey puns.

It took Sven-Goran Eriksson almost four years to reach that level of derision; Capello is there in two.

It9s nonsense, of course; England qualified for the World Cup in fine style, winning nine of 10 games and outscoring everybody else in the Eurozone by seven goal, but all that has been forgotten thanks to two disappointing weeks in South Africa.

Even then, Capello would be entitled to point out that his side only actually lost one game, and in that they were denied an equaliser by a freakishly bad decision, but this is how it is with England managers.

Only Bobby Robson has come close to fighting against the moronic tide, leading England to the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup despite an irresponsible and unwholesome campaign against him, and Capello must do as he did, and try to use the outside hostility to strengthen bonds within the team.

'Everyone is right behind the manager,' said Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry.

'I firmly believe the players and manager can go on and do great things. He is still the man to take England forward.'

Capello shows no sign of giving in to the demands for new blood, although Theo Walcott is likely to be recalled after his omission from the World Cup squad.

Defender Phil Jagielka, one of the players who could conceivably have stepped up, is struggling with an injury, weakening England in an area where they are already missing John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. Midfielder Frank Lampard is another injury absentee.

Bulgaria also have a few points to prove. Dimitar Berbatov has retired from international football, while the federation has made it clear it would have replaced the coach, Stanimir Stoilov, if it had had enough money to do so.

'We know England can be really strong when they force their opponents only to defend,' Stoilov said. 'But we'll be aggressive and brave and we will not be a punching bag.'