Fabio Capello has been raking in the plaudits after the 5-1 thrashing of Croatia sealed England's passage to the World Cup finals in South Africa.

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Here is how the newspaper columnists saw the game - and England's thus-far 100 per cent qualifying record - in the cold light of day:

"From brolly to Bolly: what a difference a good manager makes," said The Telegraph's Henry Winter, in reference to former England boss Steve McClaren's umbrella-wielding humiliation two years ago and the champagne display last night. "The future looks promising indeed under Capello, who has invigorated a dressing room that grew demoralised under McClaren's lacklustre leadership. The prince of pragmatism, Capello will not get carried away. An instructive cameo was staged after the final whistle: John Terry marched across to celebrate with Capello, stuck out a hand and then moved to give his manager an English-style bear-hug. The Italian was having none of it. Capello is Terry's manager, not his mate."

James Lawton of The Independent thinks he has uncovered Capello's secret: "He makes good players believe they can be great." He also thinks this England team have a different resolve and focus than those of the past: "England failed to inflict themselves on a 10-man Brazil in the nation's best recent chance of winning a World Cup seven years ago, when in an entire second half of historic opportunity they failed to apply one serious moment of pressure. This could happen again, you might say, because of something in the very fabric of English football. Here last night though there was an increasingly familiar temptation to believe something quite different."

The Guardian's Paul Hayward is sensibly preaching pragmatism, in the mould of Mr Capello himself: "Lurking out there are Spain, to name just one superpower: the European champions, so rich in midfield talent that Cesc Fabregas is usually a bench-bound spectator. Melodramatic qualifying campaigns are not unknown in these parts - remember the 5-1 win against Germany in Munich - but England's Perspex ceiling has tended to be the last eight of tournaments. But we can consign to grim memory the image of England players traipsing off the pitch in a £757 million stadium feeling like criminals."

The Times's Patrick Barclay was more effusive, saying "(Jock Stein said) wear your boiler suit to qualify, and then lay out the dinner jacket for the tournament. No-one was complaining that England got dressed up early, giving a display of the high-pressure, high-tempo and high-class football that could win them the World Cup". But he too sounded a note of caution, adding "England must show they can master the best... Dunga's (Brazil) team apart, the field for next year's tournament is dominated by the wonderful Spaniards".

The Sun was typically hyperbolic, although there was no lack of irony in their front-page headline about South Africa-bound England: "Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Table Mountain, Zola Budd, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, er, Kevin Pietersen, wildebeest, Ernie Els, Jacob Zuma, giraffes, Charlize Theron, springboks, Jody Scheckter and that girl runner who looks like a bloke... GET DE BEERS IN."

The Daily Mirror continued in The Sun's vein of South African-related punnery, leading with "BOK OF THE NET" and "THAT VELDT GOOD", while Oliver Holt called Fabio Capello an "exorcist" and a "ghostbuster" who had finally laid to rest the memories of failing to qualify for Euro 2008.

The Daily Star's Brian Woolnough urged England to take their form to South Africa. "Now go and win it Fabio," he said. "Mission accomplished part one. Fabio Capello can now start planning for South Africa next summer. He believes he can win it. On this evidence, so do the players."

The Daily Mail gave a "high five for Capello", with Matt Lawton unreserved in his praise for the Italian: "This time Fabio Capello even got the weather right. It was dry, just as he said it would be. England performed brilliantly, just as he said they would. And he got his tactics spot on, just as he always does."

"Forget all the hype and hail the Capello effect," said John Dillon of the Daily Express. "All the demons of the Euro 2008 defeat went hurrying out of the door. Now England have responded magnificently to a challenge instead of shrinking from it."

Croatian Daily Jutarnji List was English tabloid-esque in its reaction to the humiliating defeat. "What a palaver! They trampled on us like cigarette ends. Croatia at Wembley were broken, humiliated. Our sporting pride has never experienced such a fiasco and the shame and filth will never wash from our footballers' names." A touch harsh given they can still qualify.

Rival rag Vecernji List was far less extreme in its analysis, saying: "There is no need to despair, no one was beating their chest claiming we could beat the English, we knew we had the tiniest chance. We now have Kazakhstan, and if England repeat this kind of form against Ukraine then we are in."

And bear a thought for those poor Scots. With beleaguered boss George Burley begging for another chance after they failed to make the play-offs, The Daily Record was surprisingly positive after the 1-0 loss to the Dutch at Hampden Park. "This was George Burley's finest hour," Keith Jackson said. "Pride. Passion. Commitment. Hunger... The Hampden show proves Scotland can cut it against the best."