Capello: Tough task

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The Football Association have outlined their ambitious targets for the England national team.

Fabio Capello will be expected to lead the Three Lions to at least the semi-final stage of the 2010 World Cup or Euro 2012.

The England women's team have also been presented with the same challenge, and FA chairman Lord Triesman is confident that the goals will be met.

"This document sets out our goals for the next four years and how we intend to achieve them. The FA is prepared to speak and act for the greatest sport in the world. There is much to do, and we have the determination to do it," he said.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick is also adamant that England are capable of reaching the last four at the upcoming tournaments, despite their failure to even qualify for this summer's European Championship.

"There are some significant challenges but we are confident of tackling them," he admitted.

Pressure

By the time the next World Cup comes around in South Africa, England will have gone 14 years without reaching the semi-final of a major championship.

However, Capello insists that he does not feel under any added pressure as a result of Tuesday's announcement.

"No, it doesn't put me under any pressure," the Italian told Sky Sports News.

"I came here as the England manager with the view to do good things and I believe we can achieve good things because we have a good team.

"You need to work all the time, knowing the road is long, and you have to improve from one time to the next with the view of achieving the important target which we have set.

"The past is in the past, I am confident that I have a good team and that I can work with it to achieve the targets that we want to achieve."

The FA also revealed that an international performance director is set to be appointed, a positive move according to Capello.

"This person will be in charge of researching, gathering information and looking at the football world in order to gather the best possible information in everything we might need to help us achieve our targets," he said.

"This is something that was thought out with the chief executive and the chairman and it's aimed at giving us the best possible means of being successful."

Development

The strategic target for the next four years also included winning the bid for the right to host the 2018 World Cup, and the intention to have the National Football Centre (NFC) at Burton up and running in two years' time.

The NFC will be the focal point for player and coaching development, and Capello is delighted that England will have a central base from which to work - much like Clairefontaine in France.

"I think it is important to have centre, a home, a place where we can go back and be together and feel the spirit of the shirt we are wearing," he said.

Having now been in charge of the national side for four months, Capello also revealed that he has been encouraged by the number of home grown youngsters making their mark on the Premier League.

"As we all know there are only 38% of English players in the Premier League, but despite that fact there is a lot of young players who are very good so there is plenty of talent," he said.

"As for English football in general, it is obviously at the top level as proven by the fact that two English teams are competing for the Champions League."