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Rio urges Capello to make 'big changes'

Rio Ferdinand would like to see some new faces in England shirts © Getty Images

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Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has thrown his support behind Fabio Capello - but he admits that the England boss "needs to make big changes" following the World Cup disaster.

Ferdinand has risked angering long-term international team-mates with his statement, which comes in the wake of England's humiliating second-round exit in South Africa following a 4-1 thrashing by Germany.

In the one match England have played since then - a 2-1 friendly victory over Hungary - Capello brought in several new faces, with the likes of Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs handed debuts.

Now, ahead of England's Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, Ferdinand has urged Capello to continue to integrate new faces into the squad.

"We qualified in great style," he said. "The media people and those in the know who were saying he's 'Don Fabio' now have changed course. We didn't play well at the World Cup, we know that, but it doesn't make him a bad manager. A lot of people are jumping too far and too quick.

"He needs to make some big changes in the squad but who are we to argue? We just do what he wants us to do. It's about England winning, not us as individuals."

Elsewhere, Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has denied criticising Capello in an interview and has vowed to take legal action over the issue.

Mourinho was reported to have said England's players were scared of Capello and that those who played under the Italian at the Bernabeu said he would shout at his players.

However, Mourinho has issued a statement through his spokesman, Eladio Parames, insisting he gave no such interview.

The statement read: "The interview published by the Daily Mirror is completely false. Mourinho has not given any statement to this newspaper and so categorically denies the content. The Real Madrid coach has already said he will use every legal means against the publication and against those responsible."

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