WF:UK International Thread

Fabio Capello has revealed he has received three management offers since England were knocked out of the World Cup.

Capello's commitment to the national team has again been questioned ahead of Wednesday's friendly with Hungary at Wembley, just as it was immediately before the World Cup.

The Football Association responded to the initial approaches, believed to have been from Inter Milan, by removing an escape clause in Capello's £6million-a-year contract which would have allowed either party to terminate after the tournament in South Africa.

Given what subsequently unfolded, that move looks like a mistake, although it has since transpired Capello would still have been entitled to hefty compensation.

In any case, the Italian is still viewed by senior FA figures as the right man to guide England through the choppy waters for which they are now heading.

And, despite those wretched World Cup performances, Capello's stock on the club scene has apparently not dipped either given the latest revelations.

"Yes," said the 64-year-old when asked if he had received offers. "Only three.

"They were from important clubs but I don't want to speak about them because I respect the managers who are working there now."

Even if it only extends to Capello, the offers should bring an added sense of confidence and assurance for what lies ahead.

There are plenty who will question why the man who looked untouchable as Steve McClaren's replacement when his team swept to South Africa on the back of nine wins from 10 qualifying games would choose to put himself through more torture in one of football's most difficult jobs.

His vast salary could clearly be viewed as an incentive, even if Capello claims it has nothing to do with it.

"Managing England is not easy," he said.

"Probably it is a little bit harder than in other countries.

"But the money is not very important. The confidence of the FA was important for me.

"If they had said 'thanks very much' then fine. I don't want to stay just because I signed a contract.

"I want to try again and go forward. I want to try to win something."

Capello even managed to finish the last sentence whilst keeping a straight face.

After watching the way Spain and Germany performed in South Africa, comparing that with the efforts of an ageing England team for whom Fulham's Bobby Zamora appears to represent the future, it is not immediately obvious how anyone could view England as contenders to win Euro 2012.

Yet that is exactly what Capello feels.

"I am here to win the Euros. I think we are a good team. We are a good team," he said.

"I have confidence in this team. I don't like to work for anyone without expectations.

"I want to win something. It is always in my mind.

"If I am here, it is because I have got the confidence of the FA and because I think I can do it."

Few amongst the 60,000 expected for Wednesday night's encounter with Hungary share the same view of the world.

Indeed, in the wake of the South African debacle, plenty would have been prepared to wave Capello goodbye, even if there was no suitable replacement once Roy Hodgson opted for life at Liverpool.

But, as has been proved, Capello's CV is sturdy enough to survive one blemish, no matter how major and he insists England's battle-weary fans should learn to trust him again.

"I did a good job in qualification," he said.

"My record is a good one. I don't know the future but the fans should trust me."

Capello freely admits as yet, he does not have a solution for the tiredness he felt was so evident among his team this summer.

It could be argued that he might have spotted the problem in the previous two years during arduous trips to Trinidad and Kazakhstan.

The Italian views a World Cup build-up as different, however.

Solutions are simple; winter break, smaller Premier League, no FA Cup replays, scrapping the Carling Cup, all of which are utterly impossible, leaving Capello to search for an alternative.

"I remember when Denmark won the European Championships (in 1992) they arrived at the last moment.

"I don't know what we have to do to improve the minds of the players," he said. "At this moment I really don't know but we will have to change something."