The Football Association began its search today for an international performance director to help Fabio Capello transform England into a team capable of challenging for major tournament honours.

The new role is part of the FA's four-year strategic vision, which featured a pledge to ensure that England reach at least the semi-finals of a major tournament during that period.

FA chairman Lord Triesman said the appointee would ideally be English and "someone who understands what competitors do which makes them successful". He added: "You look around the world at other countries who have done well tournament after tournament, such as Brazil, Italy and Germany, and we need to make sure we learn everything they are doing.

"It is an additional resource, particularly for Fabio and his team."

It is understood the FA are looking for a man with football experience at the highest level - but not necessarily a former manager.
Capello is in favour of the idea, as he is with the decision to open the National Football Centre at Burton by 2010. "This is of paramount importance," he said. "Having a home lifts the spirit."

The England coach is also positive about the FA's target of reaching the last four in major tournaments.

"I think we must always be positive and my objective in every team I have coached was to go to the top," he said.

"I am not under any pressure. It's no problem for me and it's no surprise these targets have been set. I believe it's important to have these targets and to work towards them.

"We should all be confident because the team are capable of reaching these objectives."

Other milestones in the FA's strategic vision include hosting the 2018 World Cup; one million primary school children trained through the FA Tesco Skills Programme by 2010; some 26,000 referees retained and an additional 8,000 refs recruited by 2012; the Respect campaign to improve overall disciplinary performance by 25 per cent in the next four years and, finally, to have Wembley achieving an operating profit, also by 2012.