New Delhi: In his quest to turn England into a force on the world football stage, coach Fabio Capello has banned chips and tomato ketchup from his squad’s diet.
Capello is determined that the England players should be in the best of health and at peak fitness as he attempts to guide them to the finals of the 2010 World Cup.
And that means impressing upon them the importance of a healthy diet. So traditional British favourites likes chips [known in some other parts of the world, strangely, as ‘fries‘] and tomato sauce [aka ketchup] have been taken off the menu for Capello‘s squad.
The Italian tactician, in an interview in the current edition of Fifa Magazine, revealed some of the radical changes he has introduced since he succeeded Steve McClaren as England manager last December.
Capello said: "I have, for example, impressed upon [the players] the advantages of a Mediterranean diet over ketchup and chips.
"I have also put some rules of conduct in place for when the national team meets up, from eating breakfast together to the use of mobile phones, which must be switched off from time to time."
His more disciplined regime is in sharp contrast to the way things were under McClaren. Then, players used nicknames for one another in what was an altogether more laid back - and ultimately unsuccessful - regime.
Capello calls players by their surnames, but his strict approach has yielded four wins out of four in England‘s Worlds Cup qualifying campaign - no doubt the most persuasive argument for the players to accept his rules.
England are the top of their World Cup qualifying group at the moment with maximum points, and performances have improved sharply too.
Capello confirmed that the England squad had not baulked at the new rules he’s imposed.
"The players have been very co-operative, and that is a clear indication of the high level of professionalism at their clubs.
"Arsenal's academy, for example, is the perfect example of how young players should be brought along at all European clubs."
However, reports BBC Sport, not all Premier League managers follow Capello's line on diet.
Harry Redknapp, basking in the glow of an unbeaten six-match run since taking over at Tottenham, was asked whether a change in diet had played a part in the sensational Spurs revival.
He replied: "If you can't pass the ball properly, a bowl of pasta's not going to make that much difference!"
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