Fabio Capello has been around long enough to know that his latest football honeymoon is all but over. The England coach will announce on Saturday his squad for one final friendly, against the Czech Republic at Wembley next week, before the real business begins.

As author Raymond Hull said: 'All marriages are happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble.'

The cohabitation has been smooth up to now, with nothing but a series of relatively pressure-free friendlies to test the developing relationship but early in September the serious stuff of World Cup qualification will begin with two trips to Andorra and Croatia, in the space of five days.

Capello was at Wembley yesterday, rubbing shoulders with a true World Cup legend, Sir Geoff Hurst. Talk of emulating Hurst and his fellow 1966 England heroes may be stretching things a bit but Capello is positive that this modern version will at least be in the Finals in 2010.

"I have a lot of confidence in my team," he said. "We will be in South Africa, I am sure. We have played four games and we have improved each time."

Capello will expect his squad to maintain that improvement and he will be hoping that players who have switched clubs this summer, like Tottenham new boy David Bentley, will blossom in their new environment, with England also reaping the benefit.

David Beckham wants to carry on at least until the World Cup Finals in two year's time but Bentley has the ability to push him all the way for that right-side midfield place over the next few months.

Capello, for one, believes Bentley's new challenge and the responsibility which comes with it can only benefit the player.

"It is good for him because Tottenham are a very important team," said the England coach. "This season is a good chance for Tottenham and for David because when you play for an important team the pressure is different.

"The difference is you have to win every game. He has had different pressures before but Tottenham have spent a lot of money buying him."

Bentley has already demonstrated in pre-season matches for Spurs that he could be on the cusp of a memorable year while club-mate Darren Bent, with 13 goals even before the real stuff begins, is also staking a strong claim for inclusion in Capello's first squad.

"He did very well last year but only near the end of the season," said the England coach. "It is possible he will be in the squad but you have to wait another five days."

Chelsea's John Terry and his Manchester United opposite number Rio Ferdinand will have to wait a little longer before finding out which of them will be England's future and permanent captain.

Capello revealed he had already made his decision, but is keeping it under wraps at the moment. He said: "I will announce the captain the day before the Czech Republic game and I will speak with him just before I tell the squad.

"I am looking for personality and drive. I want him to be an example on the pitch and someone who can speak in the dressing-room, someone the players can respect."

Ferdinand remains the slight favourite but Capello is giving nothing more away.

One thing the Italian did stress is his belief that it is essential that players have demonstrated their fitness in pre-season - which would rule Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen out of the Czech Republic clash.

"It's very important that the players have been involved in pre-season because it is impossible to be fit if you don't play in these games," he said. "This game will be good for me because I can see exactly the physical condition of the players."

Unlike England fans, Capello was an interested spectator in Austria and Switzerland for Euro 2008.

"Spain, who had never won the tournament before, gained a lot of confidence after they beat Italy while the other teams played with a lot of spirit," he said.

"The level of the players was good. We are at the same level or better but we have to play with the same spirit.

"I have to transmit this spirit. We have to play with a lot of confidence. We have to play quickly and not only the long ball. The movement of the team on the pitch also has to be very compact."

If all that happens, it might just be married bliss for Capello and England.

• Capello was speaking at Wembley where he was with England World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst to meet some 900 children who were participating in the FA/McDonald's National Festival.