Terry - We can handle pressure

England skipper not fazed by trip to Croatia

Last updated: 10th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Terry - We can handle pressure

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John Terry believes members of the England squad have played in bigger games than Wednesday's 2010 World Cup qualifier with Croatia.

England are in Zagreb looking for revenge after losing home and away to Croatia in the failed qualification campaign for Euro 2008.

A hostile atmosphere is expected in the Croatian capital, but England skipper Terry is confident the team can rise to the occasion.

With many of Fabio Capello's likely starting line-up having played in a UEFA Champions League final, Terry does not expect the players to wilt under the pressure.

"I think playing in Champions League competition year after year and in some Premiership games are as big as this - sometimes even bigger in the Champions League," said Terry.

"As a group of players, we can handle the pressure. We know how good their fans are and we know how loud they are."

Aura

Meanwhile, Terry believes England coach Capello can be favourably compared to his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

He added: "The manager has that aura about him. He's like Mourinho a little bit.

"He's got that real confidence and slight arrogance about him that all top managers have.

"Our manager has that and it does rub off on the players.

"The manager has that confidence to come back here so early and really take it to them.

"The way he carries himself around, he knows what he's achieved in the game. They know that, sooner or later, that'll happen again."