Italian Fabio Capello has been confirmed as the new England head coach until 2012.

The Football Association confirmed his appointment on a four-and-a-half year contract in a statement on its website (www.thefa.com).

The 61-year-old succeeds Steve McClaren who was sacked last month after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

Capello will start his new job on January 7 and his first match in charge of England will be the friendly international against Euro 2008 co-hosts Switzerland at Wembley Stadium on February 6.

The appointment had been ratified by the FA board on Thursday while the details of his contract were finalised by the FA and Capello's lawyers on Friday.

In a statement on the web site, Brian Barwick, the FA's chief executive said: "I am delighted that Fabio Capello has agreed to become England manager. When we set out to recruit the new manager we said we were committed to appointing a world class candidate. In Fabio Capello we have that man."

Capello's backroom staff will consist of assistants Franco Baldini and Italo Galbiati, goalkeeping coach Franco Tancredi and fitness assistant Massimo Neri, the FA said. An English presence will also be drafted into the set-up in due course.

Tancredi was looking forward to the task.

"I am very happy but I realise it will not be an easy job seeing as there are four foreign keepers at the first four teams in the Premier League and often the reserve keepers are too," the 52 year-old former Italy keeper told Italian news service ANSA.

"Now we will have a "full immersion" into English but the language of football is universal."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP