Fabio Capello not fazed by pressure
England national team coach Fabio Capello has insisted that the pressure he faces in the job is nothing new and would use it to push for success.
Capello revealed that the demands of the English fans and media had intensified following the country’s dismal performance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but he would also thrive on that pressure and it would inspire him and his players to glory in the UEFA 2012 European Football Championship.
He added that he had faced such pressure before, when he was in charge of Real Madrid and AC Milan, and then went on to win domestic league titles with both of those clubs.
'You live with the pressure'
Ahead of England’s first Euro 2012 qualifying match against Bulgaria tonight, he told reporters that: “No, this is not the worst situation I have been in. It has been the same two or three times. Once at Madrid, once at Milan, and now. I hope the pressure brings out the best in me. Up to this point it usually has. I live the same moment when you (reporters) write well of me as when you write badly of me. You have to live with the pressure. It is my job.”
Capello highlighted possibly unrealistic expectations placed on him as the reason why he was so vilified after England crashed out of the World Cup at the hands of Germany after a clear goal by Frank Lampard was disallowed by the referee. He said that: “We lost one game in the World Cup after one big mistake from the referee. You don't remember this. But after this, your opinion about me changed completely. You wrote a lot of things differently. But I live with this situation."
As well as Bulgaria, England will have to compete with Switzerland, Wales and Montenegro for a place in the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.
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