Capello: England Must Be 'Fit, Fit, Fit' For World Cup

England manager Fabio Capello has stressed the importance of his squad arriving at the World Cup next summer in the best possible condition.

Capello knows that a long season can take its toll on his players, and that fitness next summer rather than now is the issue.

"I have been to a World Cup. You must know what you have to do on the pitch and the style you have to play," he said, according to the Press Association.

"But you also have to arrive fit. This is the most important thing. Really fit. Fit, fit, fit. Only after that can you create the spirit of the group.

"I have said a lot of times, we can win against all the teams. I have a lot of confidence in my players. But it depends on their form when we get to the World Cup.

"At this point of the season we are really strong. It is not easy to play against us because physically we are at our peak.

"But the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup are really important. You have to expend a lot of energy trying to win them and it is possible some players will not arrive at the World Cup in a very good condition."

Next up for England is a friendly against Brazil on November 14 in Qatar with Capello keen for his players to face a team likely to be one of the tournament favourites.

He also stresses that the threat his own squad poses goes far beyond just Wayne Rooney.

"The Brazil game is important because it will allow me to understand what happens against the South American countries," he said.

"They have a different style. Their technique is really good. They are good one-on-one. They dribble.

"They also use their imagination. More than anything, that is the different style of the South American players. We have to understand what is going to happen.

"It is important not to just be about one player. I like Rooney. But people have to understand we are one team, not one player.

"We can play with a different style. Peter Crouch and Gabriel Agbonlahor are different to the other players but they are both dangerous. And they both score goals."

Zack Wilson, Goal.com UK

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