Former Chelsea star Zola: Capello is just perfect for England

The Italian believes that his fellow countryman has the personal and professional skills needed to bolster the national team's self-belief and international credibility.

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Capello celebrates winning La Liga last season with Real Madrid but it was not an easy ride

Zola, who is likely to be invited on to Capello's coaching team if he is appointed the new England boss, said: "I think Fabio Capello possesses the ideal pedigree to create a new era of success for England.

"Even when Jose Mourinho was in the running I believed that Capello had even more charisma, talent and experience for a challenging job like this one.

"From my time in England I'd say that many players indicated to me that they were not sure why the national side underperformed and the conclusion I drew was that there is something of a mental block.

"Whoever the next manager of the English national team is, I think his first task will be neither technical nor tactical but instead to build confidence, a team spirit and to ensure that his players are ready to follow his leadership. More things which are perfect for a coach like Capello."

The Italian is the firm favourite to take over as England coach now that Mourinho is out of the running - in terms of club success he is the outstanding candidate-and he has already expressed an interest in the role.

It is believed he will meet FA chief executive Brian Barwick at a secret location in this country this week to discuss the terms of his likely employment.

It had been previously suggested that Barwick, who has been given the responsibility of finding Steve McClaren's successor, would go out of the country to interview the top candidates.

Providing there are no hitches, a four-year-contract will be agreed in principle with Capello and Barwick will then report back to a full meeting of the FA board on 19 December.

The FA are keen though, not to put all their eggs in the same basket and at least one other candidate, thought to be World Cup winning Italy boss, Marcello Lippi, remains in the frame while Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is not completely out of the picture - despite his protestations that he is not interested in leaving Villa Park.

Speculation that Mourinho has already signed a pre-contractual agreement with a top European club meanwhile has only reinforced the feeling that he was using the England vacancy to flush out a more attractive offer at a Champions League club.

Zola has not worked with Capello previously but is viewed by the 61-year-old as the perfect man to add immediate credibility to his attempt to manage the national side - as unlike the former Real Madrid boss, Zola has a good command of the English language.

Just champion: Capello (top) and his AC Milan players celebrate their title in 1996

And although it is likely Capello will okay the inclusion of an English coach in his team, if appointed, Zola would be the man to help the former Milan, Juventus, Roma and Real Madrid coach find his feet in his immensely demanding new international role.

Zola is likely to be joined by his long-time right hand man Franco Baldini but the FA are keen to have an English coach - like Alan Shearer, Stuart Pearce or Tony Adams - also working in the set-up.

Zola already knows the new team face a big challenge.

He added: "To my mind it's mystifying why England are not at the European Championships, in fact it's hard to understand why they are not a world force.

"English football possesses everything - structure, talent, atmosphere - needed to be powerful at an international level and there are some top class individual players.

"But there seems to me in England to be a preoccupation with the end result in each individual game rather than the process of making sure that the national team makes the most out of the general talent available in the country.

"I think that there is a tendency to overcomplicated the simple process of looking at how best to apply the huge potential there is in English football to making the national team great."

Pierfilippo Capello, son and adviser of Fabio Capello, has admitted he is waiting for a call from the FA.

He told Sky Sports News: "The England job is really special.

"When the FA wants to speak to you, you have to listen. No contact has been made yet, but we are waiting."