Fabio Capello is happy to accept the weight of expectation that comes with being England manager.Although he attended FA Cup ties at Villa Park and Kenilworth Road at the weekend, the Italian officially succeeded Steve McClaren on Monday morning and immediately set about putting his own stamp on the job.

In meetings with FA chief executive Brian Barwick, director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking and England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce, Capello outlined his thoughts on next week's World Cup fixtures meeting in Zagreb, his preferred summer programme of matches given England will not be represented at Euro 2008 and the close liaison he expects with Pearce during his time in the hotseat.

Both Barwick and Brooking have already confirmed they intend to 'suck out' all Capello's coaching expertise as they look to build a coaching structure capable of delivering an English candidate into the top job.

But for now, they are reliant on Capello, whose extensive CV incorporating nine league titles and spells with Juventus, AC Milan and Real Madrid, suggests he will not be fazed by the pressure that comes with taking charge of England.

"I have always followed English football closely and admired the passion and intensity of both the games and the crowds," he said.

"The England fans are famous around the world for their strength of support. With that support also comes expectation."

Capello has set himself up for a busy few days, during which time he will watch both Carling Cup semi-finals, at Stamford Bridge and the Emirates Stadium.

By the time he gets to Wednesday night, he will have seen the vast majority of the men likely to be in his first squad, for the visit of Switzerland to Wembley on February 6.

In all probability, he will also have visited Wembley and Arsenal's London Colney training complex, which England use as their south of England base, offering an obvious opportunity to renew acquaintances with David Beckham.

The former captain is the only member of the current England squad Capello has any experience of working with.

Although their relationship at Real Madrid had a tempestuous phase, when Beckham was axed following his announcement of a now-completed move to LA Galaxy, it would be a major surprise if the 32-year-old was not named skipper against the Swiss, mainly because he will be winning his 100th cap.

How long Beckham remains in Capello's plans after that is anyone's guess, as he presumably would not be available for whatever ideas the Italian has in mind for the summer - either a couple of home fixtures or a short tour - as the Major League Soccer season will be in full swing.

As England are not due to begin their World Cup campaign until September, Blackburn's David Bentley, seen by many as Beckham's heir apparent, has plenty of chance to stake his claim for a regular place.

Gabriel Agbonlahor is another youngster likely to be exposed to senior ranks, despite an ineffective performance for Aston Villa against Manchester United on Saturday, with Capello keen to work closely with Pearce to ensure the Under-21 set-up does prove to be a valuable breeding ground for future talent.

"I want to have a close working relationship with him (Pearce)," said Capello.

"The Under-21s play an important part in the England [Senior] team's development."

Pearce is regarded by many as the most likely Englishman to be co-opted onto Capello's four-man Italian coaching team, a move Brooking in particular is keen should be more than just mere window dressing.

It could well be that Pearce is reluctant to give up

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