Capello calls crisis meeting

RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AP):

England players held a crisis meeting with coach Fabio Capello yesterday to discuss what went wrong in the dismal 0-0 draw with Algeria that left the team facing possible elimination from the World Cup.

Although defender John Terry denied reports of a rift between Capello and the players, he acknowledged there was a lack of passion during Friday's game and pledged that it would return for Wednesday's must-win match against group leader Slovenia.

"We've got a meeting tonight, watching the game to see where we went wrong," he said at the team's training camp. "Everyone needs to get off their chest exactly how they're feeling."

But the Chelsea captain said all the players were behind Capello and dismissed reports that there was unrest in the training camp.

"I have seen a few reports this morning and, on behalf of the players, I can say there's no unrest in the camp at all," Terry said. "We're obviously still disappointed from the game the other night, but we have to pick ourselves up and go into our last game needing to win.

"The manager said that we played without any passion. Being an Englishman and coming through the ranks at Chelsea and getting the caps to play for England, you should have that and I don't think any player had that the other night. I'm sure that with the game on Wednesday, everyone will have that, have the fire in their belly and willing to win the game."

England has only two points from two matches, but Terry remained confident the team would beat Slovenia in Port Elizabeth and qualify for the round of 16. The Slovenians lead Group C with four points, England and the United States have two apiece and Algeria have one.

Unacceptable

"We realise the last game was totally unacceptable," Terry said. "The good thing is we can go into this next game four days later and prove people wrong, go out there and put on a performance. But more importantly, get the three points and get us through the group."

Although Capello guided England to the World Cup with a record of nine wins and one defeat in qualifying, the team went into the competition hampered by injury problems and with key players such as striker Wayne Rooney unable to recapture their domestic form.

The cloud hanging over England is a complete turnaround to the positive spirit within and outside the team when it clinched qualification and revived hopes that, after 44 years, it could finally again win the World Cup.