Capello hits back in row over King

But England manager gets his facts wrong in attempt to show strength over his right to call up players.

(DAVID ASHDOWN)

Fabio Capello has fought battles with Premier League managers before as England manager but none as confrontational nor as public as his current dispute with Harry Redknapp. Capello yesterday accused the Tottenham Hotspur manager of double-standards as he struck back for the first time in the Ledley King saga.

The call-up of King and the subsequent row is now about much more than just poor old Ledley's knee; it has become an issue which Capello has used to demonstrate that he will pick the players he wants and will not be pushed around by any Premier League manager. His attack on Redknapp yesterday was clearly pre-planned and designed to hit back hard in an argument that has so far only been conducted publicly by the Spurs manager.

In response to Redknapp's accusation that it was "ridiculous" and "crazy" that England had called up King, whose battle with a chronic knee problem severely limits the games he can play, Capello cited the example of Alan Hutton. The Spurs right-back has not played since 19 November but has been called into the Scotland squad this week without, Capello said, any protest from Redknapp.

"I have to say something about Mr Redknapp," said Capello, with very little prompting. "He spoke about the England national team but Alan Hutton, who is a Spurs player, was in the Scotland squad after two months injured and yet he spoke about King and not about Hutton. I don't know if he has a problem. We have to check all the players and in the last squad we did it to [Steven] Gerrard [before the Germany game]. That is what we must do."

Capello's accusation that Redknapp had made a major fuss about King but not Hutton is not correct, but there is no way the England manager could have known unless he has been at Spurs' training ground last Friday. There, Redknapp complained that George Burley, the Scotland manager, was wrong to want to pick Hutton, who played in a reserve game on Monday night, and that it would be madness to do so.

Those remarks were never reported widely and Redknapp may justifiably feel hard done by that Capello has chosen to attack him on the Hutton issue. However, the principle remains for the England manager. He was not afraid to stand up to Rafael Benitez over Gerrard's injury in November – he insisted the player report to the team hotel – and he has not been shy to bite back at Redknapp this week, although his feelings in private are a lot stronger than those he voiced yesterday.

He was not finished there. Capello defended his right to call up any Englishman who happens to be fit enough to be playing for his club and he will do so again with King if he regards it as necessary. "I am right to do so because he played the last game," Capello said. "He wasn't injured and I am happy to have spoken to the player because now I know everything about his situation."

Capello defended the temper of Wayne Rooney to the extent that the England manager did not seem the slightest bit bothered. Yes, he had called Rooney a "crazy man" on Tuesday for punching the Craven Cottage corner flag but that was a joke, Capello said. If anything the Italian seemed perfectly content with Rooney's rages, even admitting that he was the same himself as a player.

"Hot-blooded", able to "shake up his own team" – Rooney, according to Capello is just fine the way he is. "Against Fulham he did not behave very well, they [Manchester United] were losing and he got a red card but there will be no problem with Rooney in the future," he said.

"I spoke with him and I'm very happy. I told him that sometimes you need to be a little bit aggressive during a game but that the level of aggression needs to be balanced. That is very important but I'm sure he will play very well with us, just aggressive, not too much.

"Sometimes you can't control it totally. I tried but sometimes in a game it's impossible to change your nature. I played and sometimes I was the same. It depends on the moment, the result, the opponent and a lot of things. But you want your players and team to be aggressive."

Although Capello grumbled that no-one wanted to talk about today's match with Slovakia there was no doubt that he had come eager to make a point. He might well spring a few surprises against Martin Skrtel and the rest of the Slovakians today because the England camp's greatest fear is that they will pick up an unnecessary injury for Wednesday's game against the Ukraine.

Who will Rooney play off today? As ever, Capello's team is unknown – he met his backroom staff last night after dinner to discuss their options. However, there are clues. Peter Crouch (calf) and Emile Heskey (Achilles) are both struggling and Capello has worked extensively with Carlton Cole in training and he has an outside chance of starting. But Heskey is expected to begin the game. Rio Ferdinand is a doubt with a back injury and may be rested with Joleon Lescott taking his place.

Ben Foster will definitely get one half, so too Aaron Lennon. Capello confirmed Gerrard would play in a "free role", presumably coming from the left and he pointed out that it was him, not Benitez, who first played the Liverpool captain in that role behind the striker that he has occupied to such effect lately.

"I like this question, when I put Gerrard as the second striker against France [last March], all the journalists asked me 'Why are you playing one forward?'. Now you ask if I will play him in the same position. When I did it, you criticised me and now you're asking if I have to put him in his best position." That was the second score Capello settled yesterday.