Fabio Capello calls for England fans to be patient with newcomers
England national team coach Fabio Capello has urged fans to give the new players, making their international debuts against France on Wednesday 17 November, some time to adjust to playing at the highest level of football.
Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll and Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson will make their England bows in the game, while 21-year-old Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs will be making his first appearance in the starting line-up in place of Chelsea's Ashley
Cole, who pulled out of the squad.
As a result, Capello has called on England supporters to help the players as they make their first steps at senior international level.
He told reporters, "I hope the performance of these young players will be really good, but the fans must understand that we could burn these players, if it is not. We have to help them. Playing in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley, it is not the same as playing
for the Under-21s. The value of this game is different. They need time to improve, to play confidently and without fear."
The Italian made reference to the Germany national team, which spent several years developing young talent such as Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira. The approach paid off for the Germans, who saw off England with a 4-1 defeat on their way to a third-place finish
at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Capello added, "Germany built their team step by step. If we want that, we must put them in two, three at a time, not five or six."
The 64-year-old had hoped to include more promising young players in the side to play France, but was stopped from handing Jack Wilshere his first international start when the 18-year-old Arsenal midfielder picked up an injury against Everton on Sunday 14 November.
Tags: