The Demo Site

Fabio Capello will have a clear message for his England players during a crisis meeting on Sunday night: "Just play".

Former England captain John Terry confirmed during a press conference that Capello would hold a meeting with the players to allow grievances to be aired after the failure to beat USA and Algeria left England needing a victory in their final game to progress.

However, Capello is not planning a dressing down within the dressing room but instead wants to explain to the players that they need to play without fear in the final group match against Slovenia.

A source close to Capello told Soccernet: "Fabio wants to tell the players to 'play', to play their natural game, to forget about all the criticism, to forget about what people think, to focus purely on their own game and that of the team.

"The approach is far more important than the selection of the team. Clearly, there will be changes to the team, but that is not as important as the approach of the team.

"The USA was not exciting game, but the team did okay in part, but against Algeria the team didn't play at all."

He added: "The relationship with the players couldn't be better. The management and players are getting on. It is rubbish to suggest they are not happy.

"Maybe that is not a bad thing, as the focus is on other issues. The real issue is to ensure the players are not scared to play, the way they seemed scared against Algeria, and this is the message for Fabio to the players - just play."

Capello is now also being criticised for his disciplinarian approach. "They complain about Fabio now for the things they said he was so good at," the source said.

"It is said the discipline is too much - it's too rigid - yet that is what they loved about Fabio's regime, that he brought back discipline to an England team that lacked discipline and a professional approach.

"They complain that Fabio doesn't let the layers know the line-up until two hours before the kick-off, but that is how he has worked all his career, something he has done all his life as a manager, and all the players know this.

"These are the sort of things that go on when a team isn't winning, but the England team isn't losing either. All right - we all accept it is not right - but we have drawn two games, and we have the chance go through if we win the third."