Although Capello's contract is not due to expire until 2012, there has been a growing feeling he may exercise a break clause at the end of next summer's World Cup.

Reasons why the Italian might be thinking about stepping down are not immediately obvious - and given the way he has changed England's fortunes since he succeeded the hapless Steve McClaren in the wake of an abysmal attempt to reach Euro 2008, few at the Football Association would want to see him go.

It must have been pretty heartening then for chief executive Ian Watmore when Capello responded in unusually forthright manner to a question about his future as he prepares for tomorrow's friendly with Slovenia.

"My contract ends in 2012, and I want to respect it," he said.

"It is not only a matter for me but also the FA. But in my mind the target is to respect my contract."

It means Capello should get the chance to work with at least some of England's next generation.

The perceived wisdom is that once the likes of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard have reached the end of their careers, England can prepare itself for a fallow period - given, Wayne Rooney apart, there does not appear to be much home-grown talent rolling off the production line.

It is a problem spotted some while ago by England's leading clubs.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have adopted a worldwide approach - while Manchester City have just started to.

Yet Capello is adamant such policies from England's leading clubs will not necessarily lead to a downturn in fortunes for the national side.

"We used to speak about this question a lot in Italy," he said.

"But if these players are good enough they will play anywhere.

"In the same period at AC Milan, five or six players came through the academy; Baresi, Maldini, Costacurta and so on. Why? Because they are very good.

"The manager is ready to put players like that into the first team even if they are young."

Such examples do not exactly trip straight off the tongue. Yet Capello can come up with a few who are already making the transition from under-21s to senior action.

"Ashley Young and James Milner have come through; Gabriel Agbonlahor as well, plus David Wheater. That is four players from the under-21s.

"It is good for the future because they are at important teams. Don't forget Wayne Rooney is still young, and there is Theo Walcott as well.

"It is the level of the players that is important rather than the number of them."

Capello is aware of the growing resentment felt across Europe and beyond towards top English clubs who cherry-pick their youngsters.

He is not offering any solutions, though, even if he is more forthright when it comes to the issue of diving.

As a great Italian international, immersed in the culture of Serie A, it would be expected Capello might be ambivalent towards the problem.

Instead, he is slightly indignant his word should not be enough.

"When I played, sometimes, yes, players on my team dived," he said.

"But I did mind. Of course I did. I don't like divers and I told them that."

At the end of a difficult few days, in which the decision to ban Eduardo has been criticised by many but backed by Sir Alex Ferguson, Capello may remind his players tomorrow for a match that serves as a warm-up for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier with Croatia.

Victory then will secure a place at South Africa 2010, so Capello intends to select a first-choice XI tomorrow in order to try and remedy the mistakes that scarred the first half of what turned out to be a creditable draw in Holland last month.

That is not to say Capello is prepared to divulge the names.

"This is a matter for the team - not for you," he smiled.

What Capello was prepared to say is that Terry is fit to captain a team that will include Robert Green, Steven Gerrard and Rooney. He also intends to make the maximum six substitutions, four of them at half-time - and, when fit, Ferdinand and David James will play.