Capello took a bit of time to get his feet under the table after succeeding Steve McClaren 12 months ago but the second half of the year has seen the national team make rapid improvements.

Four successive World Cup qualifying victories, including a superb away win in Croatia, were followed by a friendly triumph over Germany in Berlin last month, fuelling a belief England can be major contenders at South Africa 2010.

Mindful of the times when such optimistic noises have emerged from the England camp, only for the reality to be a major disappointment, Triesman is wary of placing too much expectation on Capello's players.

However, he is willing to give the Italian his wholehearted endorsement.

"Fabio has been absolutely brilliant," said Triesman.

"His seriousness is so transparent. He does everything in a meticulous way and the distractions are not there.

"There is a sense that the players are being treated as serious athletes. It isn't all a funfair. They react really well to that."

It did not take Triesman long to discover Capello was a man apart.

The Italian's CV speaks for itself. But it was only when he met the man behind the trophies that he realised how clear-sighted he was about the future.

"You don't have to spend more than three minutes in his company to know that when he says he is going to do something, he will really set about it and is not going to put up with second best," said Triesman.

"We are in a good position in our group, that is self-evident.

"But you never get the sense from Fabio that he thinks a job is over if it only is half done.

"He will see this through to the very last match. There will be absolutely no give in that attitude and the players love it.

"They all feel like winners and I don't quite know when the England side last felt like that."

It may be a side issue for Capello but Triesman is also delighted the coach, who can boast Juventus, AC Milan and Real Madrid among his title-winning clubs, is happy to pass on his knowledge to younger English counterparts.

England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce is the most obvious example but others are benefiting from his experience, too.

Such groundwork is vital for, with three of the top four employing non-British coaches, and the other post not having been vacant for 22 years, Triesman accepts a home-grown England manager may need to take a circuitous route.

"The first thing in Fabio's mind is the England team winning but he does feel that if we can do it, it ought to be an English coach next time," said Triesman.

"If he can contribute to it, great.

"I don't think a good England manager has to come through the top four.

"But it is the fastest learning curve because it exposes you to much more international competition and different styles of play.

"At the end of it, clubs are separate companies and they do what they do. We can all hope they can look round and see if they can find an English manager. But he has to be right."