Capello Laments Lack of Top-level English Players

Fabio Capello believes he is working in the worst conditions of any national coach in Europe because of the lack of English players in the Premier League.

Talking about the scarcity of home-grown players in the top division, and comparing his situation with that of the new Italy coach, Marcello Lippi, the England head coach said: "I'm worse off than Lippi, than everyone. I have Welsh players, Scottish, Irish," he said. "In the Premier League only 35% of the players are English. In Italy it's about 72% [Italians]."

However, despite the problems, Capello hopes to make "an impact" on the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and reiterated his wish that the England job is his last in football. "I will complete my contract with England but my time in the dugout will end with my England experience," he said. "However, I would like to end my career having made an impact at a World Cup."

The former Milan, Roma and Juventus coach also said he hopes Frank Lampard resists the temptation to team up with Jose Mourinho at Internazionale. "As England coach I would prefer it if Lampard remained in England. He would have less travelling to do that way," he told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

Capello and his team will start their World Cup qualifying campaign with two away games, against Andorra on September 6 and against Croatia four days later. And although he wishes Lampard to stay in west London in order to avoid traveling, the 62-year-old Italian said that David Beckham still features in his plans for the World Cup despite playing his club football in the United States with Los Angeles Galaxy. "As long as he's at the level to play, he'll play," he said.