Before meeting Egypt in a friendly, Fabio Capello downplayed the personal matters plaguing some of his best players. Abeer Anwar reports from London After a month of controversy which has threatened to unravel his side in the World Cup, England's coach Fabio Capello sought to allay fears. At a press conference in London a day before England was to meet Egypt in a friendly in Wembley Stadium, Capello said the problems the team had been facing on and off the field "are now over." His advice to the players was to forget the problems, work as a team and do your best. "We are ready for the match," Capello said of the encounter with Egypt (due to be played after Al-Ahram Weekly 's publishing deadline). "It is not easy. We played the Egyptian side twice before. They are dangerous, very organised on the pitch. It won't be an easy match and you can never predict the result." Capello said he and his team had watched some of the Egyptian matches in the African Nations Cup, especially against Algeria. "We chose to play against Egypt because it is a North African country and the way they play is very near to the Algerian side which we will meet at the World Cup. "The Pharaohs have a very strong defensive line which is not easy to pass through." Capello said that even John Terry was no longer the captain (Terry was sacked as England captain last month after allegations of an extra-marital affair) he will go on with his duties as a captain "except for the armband." Capello also addressed the English fans. "We will be dressed as England and will sing the English anthem so I want the fans to back us as England. I hope that the crowds will not affect John Terry. "We have a responsibility," said Steven Gerrard, now captain in the absence of the injured Rio Ferdinand. "It is a unified sport so we all have to perform well." In the press conference, Gerrard added that since Capello will announce the final list of players joining the World Cup after the game with Egypt, "it is the final chance. We will all like to take part in the World Cup so we will try to do our best to catch up." As for the match with Egypt, "the boys here are very excited. We are all willing to do our best. We want the support of the crowd and we don't want them to bother John Terry. The match will be a wrap up for all the wounds." Answering a question from the Weekly as to England not living up to World Cup expectations, Gerrard said, "I think this time it'll be different. We have trained a lot this time as a team and we have a professional coach so I think this time we will proceed further." At the press conference, which was given by the English national team camp at the isolated Grove Hotel, the first to show up was Wayne Rooney who first allayed fears that he would not play because of injury. On Egypt's team, Rooney called the side "very strong. I think they are a very well organised team and they have just won the African Nations Cup so they are fit and ready. It's not easy to predict or even guess what will the score be." Rooney said the match was very important. "It's a golden chance for the English side to play against a North African country just like Algeria". About Egypt's Premiership players Mido, Amr Zaki and Hossam Ghali, addressing the Weekly, Rooney said, "I respect all the three as they are very talented players. I played more with Mido. He is a professional and talented player and also a lucky one." Rooney also commented on the problems the English side is facing. "We are facing some problems but I think this is normal on any team." Rooney urged England supporters not to boo Terry when they face Egypt. "He is a leader, a great player and I respect him. He [Terry] hasn't got the armband but he's still a great player and a great leader." At the same press conference, Egypt's coach Hassan Shehata said the match was very important for Egypt "especially that in the FIFA rankings Egypt is 10th and England is 9th, so we would like to maintain our ranking. "This match is so important as it is our first after the African Nations Cup. It will also leave an impression about Egyptian, Arab and African football. Egypt will also be the first Arab and African country to play in historic Wembley Stadium." Shehata said Egypt had to play as a team. "I asked all the players not to show off individually to attract professional contracts but to act as a team as this is one of the important points that differentiates us from other teams." He added that what worried him most was the midfield of the English team. "We will also lack the services of Abdel-Zaher El-Saka and Mahmoud Fathalluh due to injury and this will affect our defensive line." He added that he advised his players never to underestimate their opponent "as we are playing against a great team in spite of the problems they are facing." As to England's chances in the World Cup, Shehata thought that this time England had a great chance to proceed to the final. "They have star players and they are under the guidance of one of the best coaches in the world. "We are ready and well-prepared for the match but it will not be easy. All the players are eager to do their best to leave an excellent impression on the English people about the Egyptian team. It is a golden opportunity for us to play against a strong team like England, especially that we have not met the English side for a long time." Shehata added: "Winning the African Nations Cup did not and will never make up for our not qualifying for the World Cup. I feel the bitterness because we were the top of our group with 13 points and we won the African Nations Cup three times but we did not make to the World Cup while others did with only 11 or 12 points. This is really what hurts me but still I have hopes of doing it next time." "I am sure we will not be an easy prey for the English side. We will do our best and all Egyptians here in London are backing us, " said Egypt's captain Ahmed Hassan. "It's a historic game and I asked all the players to have self- confidence, to be fearless, work as a group and try to enjoy the game and make the Egyptian fans who are watching us all over the world happy and excited." Arriving on the 28 February, the Egyptian team was received at London's Heathrow Airport by a large number of Egyptian expats waving the Egyptian flag and singing their anthem. Photo-ops were plenty and Egypt's forward Mohamed Abu Treika was the star of the show; all wanting to know how well he had recovered from a knee injury that had kept him out of the African cup. It was standing room only as a big welcome party was held at the Egyptian Embassy in London. The players were welcomed by the ambassador while the journalists were attended to by Mohamed El-Badri, media consultant, and Manal El-Shabrawi, media coordinator. A large cake in the shape of a football playground was cut in honour of the Egyptian team. The team had been training in the mornings to get used to the cold weather and heavy showers of London. "It is a great honour for us to be invited to such a friendly against a strong professional team like England," Samir Zaher, head of the Egyptian Football Federation, said. "I hope we will be able to show our best, especially that our players are not used to such cold weather."
