Terry keen to keep focus

Skipper warns against revenge mission

By Ben Collins   Last updated: 8th September 2008

John Terry England training

Terry: England warning

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Captain John Terry has warned his England team-mates not to get distracted by a revenge mission when they travel to Croatia next week.

Croatia beat England home and away in qualifying for Euro 2008, claiming a 3-2 win at Wembley last November which denied England a place at the finals and cost coach Steve McClaren his job.

New boss Fabio Capello failed to inspire the national team to a convincing victory in his first competitive game in charge on Saturday, scraping past Andorra 2-0 in Barcelona.

But Terry was pleased to make a winning start to their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign and has urged his team-mates to focus on recording another victory in Zagreb rather than getting even.

"I don't want to get across any kind of revenge message," said the Chelsea defender.

"But at the same time, it's a new campaign and we are going there to pick up three points so if we can get off to a good six-point start then we will take that.

Challenge

"We have to rise to the challenge. We know it's difficult and we know they have not been beaten there for a long time.

"We have to go there with a clean slate and not think about the last game we played against them."

Former captain David Beckham echoed those sentiments, with England looking to embark on a new era under Capello.

"It's not about having a score to settle," said Beckham. "We just want to get a good result and put a good performance in.

"It's not about old games we've played against Croatia because we know they are a tough team, we know they've got some really good players and we know it's very hostile there.

Future

"We have to forget about what has gone on in the past. This is the present and we have to work towards what we want to achieve in this group."

Theo Walcott provided one of the few positives against Andorra on his full debut, although Beckham, who came off the bench for his 104th cap, may be preferred at right midfield for his greater experience.

"We will have to wait and see if I start," he said. "At the end of the day it's all about a squad.

"We've worked hard together as a unit, not just the starting XI but everybody else that's in the squad.

"Obviously I've got experience but there's other players that are younger than me that have got experience just by the fact that they have played in some of the biggest games in the world.

"We've got that experience and we will need it on Wednesday."