Source: Daily_Mail
England boss Capello is intimidating and just scary, reveals Rooney
Wayne Rooney has revealed how intimidating he has found Englandmanager Fabio Capello since the Italian took over control of thenational side. [LNB]A week before the squad gather to prepare for the Wembley friendlyagainst Africa Cup of Nations winners Egypt on Wednesday week, Rooneyadmitted: 'When Capello came in on the first day, he was scary [LNB] Intimidating: Fabio Capello puts the fear into Wayne Rooney[LNB] Everton 3 Manchester United 1: Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell come off the bench to halt Reds' title chargeRUUD GULLIT: Rooney is on the brink of greatness after AC Milan showArsenal 2 Sunderland 0: Walcott steals show as Gunners home in on UnitedWayne Rooney reveals how Sir Alex Ferguson made him a United hot shotMANCHESTER UNITED FC: All the latest news from across the web'It was mad. On the training pitch, you'd be training for about three seconds and then he'd stop you and put you in position and say that's where you should be. He'd physically move you! It was really intimidating.' [LNB]Capello's regime is in stark contrast to the more relaxed era of Steve McClaren, whose under-performing side the Italian has transformed into one of the favourites for the World Cup this summer. [LNB]Rooney is in no doubt that Capello's attention to detail is part of the secret of his success.[LNB] 'He's changed everything,' said Rooney. 'You need to watch yourself if you make a mistake in training. He records everything and he once had Glen Johnson going over a tape because he wasn't happy with one of his throw-ins. Everything has to be right. But he's done a fantastic job and we're very happy to have him.[LNB] 'He's restored our confidence as a team and he's given me the freedom to play. He gives confidence to some of the players who maybe in the past didn't have the belief that they were good enough to play for England. You can see it when you look around the team.' [LNB] Mr Motivator: Capello is tougher to please than previous England managers[LNB]Rooney says Capello has extended his disciplinary grip on the team - exemplified by his axing of John Terry as captain - even to dictating what clothes they wear for meals. [LNB]'When you go for your dinner everyone's got to wear the team tracksuit, whereas in the past people were coming in shorts and T-shirts,' said Rooney. 'When one player's mobile phone went off he went absolutely nuts. He wants us to do everything together.'[LNB] The contrast with previous regimes could not be greater. [LNB]England's first foreign coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, took the national side to the quarter-finals in three major tournaments but the suspicion was that he bowed to player power. [LNB]Capello is never likely to succumb to that fault, and he and his rejuvenated team are looking to do more than just qualify from their World Cup group against the United States, Algeria and Slovenia. [LNB]'Sven was so relaxed it was weird,' said Rooney. 'You were basically telling him what you wanted to do, but he was a good coach. He got us to two World Cup quarter-finals.' [LNB]Rooney is cautiously optimistic for England's chances in South Africa. [LNB]'I'd like to think we can win our group, but it's always difficult playing any game at a World Cup,' he said. 'I'm sure if we get off to a good start we can have a run. With the players we've got, hopefully we can give it a really good go at bringing the cup back. [LNB]'It would be unbelievable if we could and we speak about it quite a lot. We say, "Imagine what it would feel like to lift the World Cup". It would be fantastic to repeat what happened in 1966. Hopefully, with the experience we've got, it can help us. [LNB]'I can't wait. Hopefully I can have a better time this summer than I had four years ago.' [LNB]The 2006 tournament in Germany was something of a personal nightmare for Rooney from start to finish. [LNB]A broken metatarsal hampered his preparation to the extent that he was never 100 per cent fit, a factor which contributed to the frustration behind his sending-off in the quarter-final defeat by Portugal.[LNB] These days Rooney thrives on big-match involvement. [LNB]Two goals against AC Milan in the San Siro stadium last Tuesday have put Manchester United on the threshold of the Champions League quarter-finals, and club boss Sir Alex Ferguson would surely not dare to deprive him of the thrill of lining up against Aston Villa in next Sunday's Carling Cup final at Wembley. [LNB]Three days later he will back there to face Egypt and Rooney, an ambassador for England's bid to stage the World Cup in 2018, has ambitions that go even beyond this summer's finals. [LNB]'It (2018) is a big thing for me and everyone who's English,' he said. 'To play for England anywhere is a great honour but to do so at a home World Cup would be something special. I'll be 32 then so, hopefully, I'd have a chance.' [LNB] Everton 3 Manchester United 1: Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell come off the bench to halt Reds' title chargeRUUD GULLIT: Rooney is on the brink of greatness after AC Milan showArsenal 2 Sunderland 0: Walcott steals show as Gunners home in on UnitedWayne Rooney reveals how Sir Alex Ferguson made him a United hot shotMANCHESTER UNITED FC: All the latest news from across the web[LNB] [LNB]
