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Pressure is normal for me insists Capello

06/09/2008

England manager Fabio Capello insists he is used to being under pressure as he prepares for his first meaningful international in charge of the side.

Capello's men will take on Andorra later today with considerably less public backing than when he first took over from Steve McClaren at the start of the year.

Following a poor display in the 2-2 with Czech Republic at Wembley last month England are under pressure to ensure the World Cup qualifying campaign starts well against the minnows of Andorra.

However, having managed AC Milan, Roma and Real Madrid in the past Capello says he is used to working under such conditions.

Capello said: "For me, the pressure is normal. Always, at the clubs I was manager of, the pressure was very, very strong, because we had to win 100 per cent.

"It's different now because it was one club, one city. Here it is one country but the pressure is normal in my job."

The Italian said his only frustrations were that he could not play another game for a long time after the Czech Republic match, whereas in club management he could have turned things around in a matter of days.

Capello is confident England will succeed against Andorra but warned it would not be easy as the opposition would only defend and not attack much.

The 62-year-old is also convinced he will be able to get some much needed goals out of Wayne Rooney.

Rooney has not scored an international goal for 11 months, since England's defeat to Russia in Moscow that virtually ended their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008.

Capello thinks the match against Czech Republic will have helped the Manchester United forward find his way once more.

He said: "It is very important for Wayne Rooney to be perfect physically. For the game against the Czech Republic he was not fit. Now he is better physically.

"But he has to score a goal. Psychologically, goals are very important for forwards and if you don't hit the target then it is a problem.

"However, it is not only Wayne but all the other players. It is not important who scores the goals individually but that the team manages to score them."

England will hope for a good performance against Andorra to set them up for the tougher task of facing Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday.