EX-ENGLAND BOSS Fabio Capello vowed today to inject youth and vigour into Russia’s laboured performances as he signed on to head the squad with a mission of making the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The 66-year-old Italian signed the two-year deal in Moscow with the Russian Football Union (RFU) for an undisclosed sum.

News reports had said Capello was negotiating a two-year contract with the possibility of an extension.

Capello said his desire to lead Russia to the 2014 World Cup forced him to reverse a decision to retire upon losing a bruising battle with the Football Association (FA) over the fate of his controversial captain John Terry.

“I was really angry with the FA interference in my work. I could not bear it. I resigned and wanted to retire completely,” he said.

“But the desire to win a place in the World Cup finals with a national side remained. It made me change my mind and accept the RFU proposal. It is my main goal and I want to make it happen.”

“Russia have great prospects and a tremendous amount of potential,” he said of a nation ranked 13 by the world football governing body FIFA.

“Russia players are excellent but they need to change their mentality and develop a stronger will to start winning,” Capello said. “Their main problem is in their heads and not their feet.”

Capello will pick up a team in poor spirits after a disappointing Euro 2012 campaign that saw Russia fail to progress out of the group stage and become mired in scandal involving its talismanic captain Andrei Arshavin.

Calls for the midfielder to be stripped of his captaincy rang out across the media this summer after Arshavin was taped saying he saw no reason to apologise for the Euro performance and suggesting that players were happy to be going home.

Capello had firm words for Arshavin’s behaviour.

“I will talk to him and inquire where this lack of love for the fans — this lack of love for the Russian shirt — comes from,” Capello told reporters at a news conference where his comments in Italian were translated into Russian.

Capello — a self professed opera and ballet buff who is personal friends with Russia’s artistic elite — said he will be breaking with tradition and living in Moscow for the upcoming two years.

He also promised a cautious initial approach as he got a sense for his team and began learning Russian for the first time in his life.

“I’m not ready to make any sweeping changes in the Russia’s national side,” Capello said.

New approach

“I need to familiarize myself with the Russian young players. And I’d like to discover new talents in Russia. It’s a part of my work and my programme of development football here.”

He also hinted of a new approach involving international recruits to the national squad who could assume Russian citizenship in a bid to help rejuvenate the veteran side.

“One should not forget that teams like Germany and Italy have players with dual nationalities,” Capello said.

“Spain has those players as well — and they are champions,” he said.

Capello will be taking with him five Italian coaches and two local experts as Russia continues a policy of looking abroad following the planned departure with month of their Dutch manager Dick Advocaat.

“We do not have a specialist at Capello’s level in Russia,” Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told the RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday.

“No matter how painful or bitter this is to admit, it is true,” the Russian sports minister said.

Capello will be on the touchline for the first time on August 15 when Russia play a friendly against visitors Ivory Coast.

- © AFP, 2012

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