FABIO Capello admits he had concerns before the World Cup as to whether his England players were in the right physical shape to challenge for glory in South Africa.
The England head coach has called for the introduction of a winter break during the domestic season in an effort to help the national side's preparations for major tournaments, but admits it will be "impossible" to bring in because of the massive demands of the domestic programme.
Capello says he could not make his fears public going into the tournament in case it had a damaging psychological effect on his players.
He said: "We played the game in March (against Egypt) and the players were in a good situation (physically).
"But when we played the friendly games before the World Cup, the players were not in the same situation that they were in March.
"This was the situation that I found. They were not the same physically as before. We knew the situation before the World Cup.
"I spoke with my staff but I could not come out and say this because psychologically it is not good for the players because they can read everything.
"But when we started to play, I could understand we were tired - in the games against Mexico, Egypt and against Japan.
"It was the case even in the last friendly game in South Africa (against Platinum Stars).
"The level of the games were always the same and I was worried."
Capello even intimated he may look to rest his players ahead of future tournaments as he ruled out any hope of a winter shutdown.
He said: "Look at Germany. They stop the Bundesliga for one month. They always turn up for tournaments in really good shape.
"In Italy, they have two weeks break, and other countries also have breaks.
"Here it is impossible because of the number of competitions we have. It is impossible to suspend it.
"All the competitions are hard and always in the final it is the same teams, the teams that have the best players.
"A winter break, it is impossible. It is impossible to find a break in the winter."
When pressed about how things might be different by the time the European Championship finals come around in 2012, Capello said: "I hope we change something.
"I think we will be physically fit. It (Euro 2012) is not so long. We will try to do something different.
"Will I look to rest players instead before a tournament? Yes, I have this idea because I remember when Denmark won the 1992 European Championship in Sweden.
"They were on the beach four days before the first game before they got called in as a late replacement for someone - and won it."
Capello came in for criticism for operating with a 4-4-2 formation at the World Cup.
But he claims he did not use that system in South Africa and insists performances are more important than formations.
"I never played 4-4-2 at the World Cup. The style was 9-1 because I saw a lot of games where there were nine defending and one forward," he said.
"We played always four defenders, two midfielders and Steven Gerrard played more or less behind the two forwards.
"Always he was free to go around. We played 4-3-1-2. It was good in the qualifiers and worked.
"The style is important but what is really important is the performance of the players."
Capello says he could not make his fears public going into the tournament in case it had a damaging psychological effect on his players.
He said: "We played the game in March (against Egypt) and the players were in a good situation (physically).
"But when we played the friendly games before the World Cup, the players were not in the same situation that they were in March.
"This was the situation that I found. They were not the same physically as before. We knew the situation before the World Cup.
"I spoke with my staff but I could not come out and say this because psychologically it is not good for the players because they can read everything.
"But when we started to play, I could understand we were tired - in the games against Mexico, Egypt and against Japan.
"It was the case even in the last friendly game in South Africa (against Platinum Stars).
"The level of the games were always the same and I was worried."
Capello even intimated he may look to rest his players ahead of future tournaments as he ruled out any hope of a winter shutdown.
He said: "Look at Germany. They stop the Bundesliga for one month. They always turn up for tournaments in really good shape.
"In Italy, they have two weeks break, and other countries also have breaks.
"Here it is impossible because of the number of competitions we have. It is impossible to suspend it.
"All the competitions are hard and always in the final it is the same teams, the teams that have the best players.
"A winter break, it is impossible. It is impossible to find a break in the winter."
When pressed about how things might be different by the time the European Championship finals come around in 2012, Capello said: "I hope we change something.
"I think we will be physically fit. It (Euro 2012) is not so long. We will try to do something different.
"Will I look to rest players instead before a tournament? Yes, I have this idea because I remember when Denmark won the 1992 European Championship in Sweden.
"They were on the beach four days before the first game before they got called in as a late replacement for someone - and won it."
Capello came in for criticism for operating with a 4-4-2 formation at the World Cup.
But he claims he did not use that system in South Africa and insists performances are more important than formations.
"I never played 4-4-2 at the World Cup. The style was 9-1 because I saw a lot of games where there were nine defending and one forward," he said.
"We played always four defenders, two midfielders and Steven Gerrard played more or less behind the two forwards.
"Always he was free to go around. We played 4-3-1-2. It was good in the qualifiers and worked.
"The style is important but what is really important is the performance of the players."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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