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Capello sets 'minimum' semi-final target

Fabio Capello thinks a European nation will create history © Getty Images

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England manager Fabio Capello has announced a "minimum" target of reaching the World Cup semi-finals in South Africa, while admitting he would ideally like to win the final against his native Italy.

A European nation will triumph on distant soil for the first time in World Cup history, Capello predicted, and he has every confidence that the history-making team will be his own on July 11 in Johannesburg.

"I think it's time for a European team to win,'' Capello said. "We will have no problem with jet-lag, the problem will be for South American teams that are really strong like Argentina and Brazil. I hope to play against Italy in the final, I will be very happy. One of the targets for all the teams is to play the final. I am sure it will not be easy for me but, at that time, my shirt will be an England shirt.

"We are one of the best teams in the World Cup. We hope to arrive at the semi-finals, minimum, and then, after a lot of years, win the World Cup. We have a good team, good players, and at this moment we think we can beat all of the teams because we can play at the same level of the best teams in the world.''

Speaking at Wednesday night's Laureus World Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi, Capello also offered his take on the differences between club and international management. The former AC Milan, Juventus, Roma and Real Madrid boss said: "It's more of a psychological job you do when you only have a short time to train.

"It's more important to train the mind, to find confidence, create a group, create a winning mentality. Before the World Cup when you have more time, you can train every day, you can improve and find different solutions.

"Like club managers who train every day you can find different styles and you can find the solution quickly. Sometimes, after one (England) game I study what really happened and when I decide the next squad some player who was important is injured. For this reason it is a completely different job.''

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