Bilic helps motivate Capello's players; Capello: Bilic has helped motivate us.

ENGLAND boss Fabio Capello has thanked Slaven Bilic for providing the team-talk ahead of their World Cup qualifier and will simply tell his players to remember what the Croatia manager has branded them, writes MIKE McGRATH. Capello's men can qualify for South Africa with victory tonight against the side that denied them a place at Euro 2008 - but there is the added incentive of proving Bilic wrong after he stirred up the mind games this week.

Bilic has suggested that England have lost their "Englishness" under Capello, which the Italian feels has motivated his squad. "Thank you Mr Bilic," Capello said. "It is the best. I have no need to motivate my players after this. It's fantastic assistance."

Instead of a moving speech to rally his players towards eight wins from eight Group Six qualifiers, Capello's message will be simple. "You have to remember what Bilic said," he said.

Capello has also warned Bilic his side have improved since a 4-1 win in Zagreb last season - Theo Walcott scoring a hattrick - gave England their momentum for the rest of the campaign.

"In Croatia we played very well and won 4-1," he said. "We played a lot of good games for qualification and won seven games, improving in every game."

There will be no Walcott at Wembley due to a side strain. He was seen at Arsenal's London Colney training complex just before England's coach arrived - but he was stepping up his rehabilitation with his club.

It means Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips and David Beckham are competing for a place on the right flank, with Lennon seen as the favourite to start.

In attack, Jermain Defoe has scored five goals in three substitute appearances but Emile Heskey's physical presence could give him the edge in the fight to partner Wayne Rooney. And should Croatia provoke Rooney and attempt to ignite his hot temper, Turn to Page 70 Capello is confident the Manchester United forward can restrain himself. "I think if I remember correctly, with me Rooney only once did a bad tackle," Capello said. "Only once. Afterwards, he played always well. Provocation means nothing for Rooney." Rooney was injured for the Wembley clash two years but Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry are the likely starters from the survivors when Croatia effectively ended Steve McClaren's reign. "A team like England Capello: From Back Page not qualifying for a Euro or World Cup is really a terrible thing for the players and the clubs," Capello added. "For that reason I think the motivation we will have is more important." Capello, however, has not reviewed the footage of that evening when McClaren - famously sporting an umbrella in the rain - failed to get England to Austria and Switzerland.

"It's too old," he said. "I studied the game we played against Slovenia and the game Croatia played against Belarus. I study the last games we play. It's history. I prepare the next game, not the old games. "I don't speak about the game they played two years ago. I don't understand why we have to speak about that. I have to motivate a team for this game, not what happened two years ago. I think they forgot this game after we won 4-1 in Croatia." When England won in Zagreb, Capello suggested his players were happier away from Wembley, such was the pressure applied by fans. However, under Capello England have not lost at home and he feels his side have got their confidence back. "The last games we played at Wembley we won," he said. "This is really important. Now we play with more confidence." Capello was still baffled by fans jeering Joleon Lescott when the Manchester City defender came on as a substitute against Slovenia at the weekend. "I can't understand why they boo Lescott," he said. "I want our supporters to help the players and not boo. They are all England players and in the England teams. They have to support us."