Capello begins to breach language barrier

Despite the language barrier Capello, often portrayed as a stern disciplinarian, showed a lighter side to his character.

When he was named England coach at the start of December Italian Fabio Capello, who spoke little English, said he would be fluent in his new language in a month.

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On Tuesday he met the British media for the first time since then and said he was "happy with his English" and "I am speaking to the players in English".

However, Capello was praising his new skills in Italian through an interpreter.

Despite the language barrier Capello, often portrayed as a stern disciplinarian, showed a lighter side to his character.

"I will not speak to you in English until I am happy I have learned all the expressions and phrases I need," he said to reporters before his first game as England coach against Switzerland on Wednesday.

"You have a way of twisting words, so I will speak to you in English later on. But I speak to the players in English, I communicate with them in much easier English and we understand each other."

When asked what the players called him he replied: "Boss."