(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-12-17 08:52

MILAN - England's new manager Fabio Capello has said the job will be his last in soccer and acknowledged he has a tough task ahead of him.

The 61-year-old Italian was appointed on Friday until 2012 to replace Steve McClaren, who was sacked last month after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

The head of football's world governing body Sepp Blatter said that Italian Fabio Capello, seen here in February 2007, needs good English to make his new coaching job as England manager a success. [Agencies]

"I didn't think that one day I would be able to coach England. Some time ago I was close then nothing happened. This time the dream has come true.

"I will face a different way of working in a country where football is considered a religion. Everyone in England asks why the national team are not able to win."

Capello, who won a title with all four of the clubs he managed, has been working as a commentator for Rai since he was sacked by Real Madrid in June, despite winning the Spanish title.

"This is another challenge which is part of (a manager's) job, but this challenge will be slower and more complicated because I must study more than if I was a league manager," he said.

"We want to do very well and there is a big expectation around and I think that with my team (of assistants) we will achieve great objectives."

The former AC Milan, AS Roma and Juventus coach will bring four Italian staff members with him to the England job and hinted the Football Association wanted a European coach after holding talks with Portugal's former Chelsea head Jose Mourinho.

"Mourinho is Mediterranean like me, a Mediterranean in England," he added as he acknowledged former Italy coach Marcello Lippi and ex-Germany boss Juergen Klinsmann had been in the frame. "It was just an honor to be in this group."

Asked if world champion Italy should now be scared of England, he said: "Yes we will be competitors because we will try to do our best."