Morale at an 'all time low’ as England faces early exit

In the aftermath of England’s abject performance in the 0-0 draw with Algeria on Friday, the England management team have conceded that the players are unhappy with some of Capello’s methods, that the players’ confidence is at its lowest in his time in charge and that the tactical system needs to change for the crucial final group game with Slovenia on Wednesday.
Capello’s priority is resolving psychological difficulties, which he believes are besetting Wayne Rooney. After his sixth World Cup game without a goal, in which he did not once touch the ball in the penalty area, Capello said that his star player was in top physical shape but was struggling to cope with the mental pressure.

“He’s completely fit,” he said. “In training we have to send him back to the dressing room every time. He stays on the pitch for more time than the other players. He’s perfect. It’s not a problem of this [fitness]. The problem is in the mind. I know this from when I was a player. I remember what can happen in these moments.”
Capello will also speak to Rooney about his reaction to the England supporters who booed the team at the final whistle. England fans in the crowd had already booed after Frank Lampard dragged a shot wide late in the second half and expressed even greater disgust at the final whistle. As Rooney left the pitch he looked at an on-pitch camera and said: “Nice to see your own fans booing you, that’s what loyal support is.”
Rooney attempted to avert a supporters’ backlash by apologising yesterday. “On reflection I said things in the heat of the moment that came out of frustration of both our performance and the result,” he said in a statement issued by the FA. “For my part I apologise for any offence caused by my actions at the end of the game. I am as passionate about the England team as anyone. The most important thing now is to regroup, be positive and work towards winning the game on Wednesday.”
FA sources said that they had never seen Capello so depressed by a result. The Italian, though, intends to start all over again at the Rustenburg training camp today. The players were given a day off with their families in Cape Town yesterday as a temporary reprieve from the pressure but Capello will today seek explanations from them for what happened on Friday night.
His coaching staff also had a day to digest the result. Stuart Pearce, Italo Galbiati and Franco Tancredi travelled to Rustenburg to scout potential England opponents Ghana, playing against Australia. Despite rumours that Franco Baldini, Capello’s trusted general manager, was considering his position, it is understood that all members of Capello’s team are completely committed to the cause.
But there will be a change of system and personnel against Slovenia. Matthew Upson is the favourite to deputise for the suspended Jamie Carragher while Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe are pushing for promotion to the starting line-up.
“No one is untouchable in my mind,” Capello said. “For the game I can change players, I can do different things. We have time to prepare.”
That preparation must include a diffusion of the tension that John Terry admitted was constraining the team. “We all, as a group of players, need to relax and do what we do for our clubs,” he said. “We need to do what we did in qualifying. We shouldn’t change the way we play and we shouldn’t be worrying about other sides, because from what I’ve seen so far no sides worry me.”