Capello prefers pasta to chips

This is thanks to England coach Fabio Capello, who has stressed the importance 强调重要性 of healthy eating if his team wants to qualify 取得资格 for the next World Cup.

Capello, who is Italian, has told the players about "the advantages of a Mediterranean diet 地中海饮食 over ketchup 番茄酱 and chips."

His ban on chips is part of a raft of changes 很多变化 designed to instil 灌输 a new level of professionalism in the England squad, who have been seen as underachievers 表现欠佳的 in the last few years.

Along with chips, excessive use 过量使用 of mobile phones and nicknames 绰号 are also frowned upon 不赞成 under the Capello regime. He prefers the use of surnames, apparently.

But while his methods might seem a little strict, his results speak for themselves 结果证明一切. He has won four out of four competitive games 对抗赛 in charge with England.

Mission impossible  I do not believe that being England coach is quite the 'mission impossible' that it is always made out to be.   Fabio Capello, England coach

Capello said: "I do not believe that being England coach is quite the 'mission impossible' that it is always made out to be."

By 'mission impossible' he means a job which is extremely difficult or dangerous. The phrase was made popular by the Hollywood movie franchise 特许经销商 of the same name which starred Tom Cruise.

But not everyone was convinced by Capello’s emphasis on diet. New Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said:

"If you can't pass the ball properly, a bowl of pasta's not going to make that much difference!

"I know the odd indulgence doesn't hurt players from time to time... besides, what can you do? Can you follow a player home to check if his missus is giving him steak and kidney pie for tea instead of pasta?"

Odd indulgence  I know the odd indulgence doesn't hurt players from time to time... besides, what can you do? Can you follow a player home to check if his missus is giving him steak and kidney pie for tea instead of pasta?   Harry Redknapp, Tottenham Hotspur manager

This use of the word 'odd' in the phrase 'odd indulgence' means rare or infrequent. The word 'missus' is a slang term for 'wife'.

Meanwhile, former England captain David Beckham has been left out 未入选 of the squad who face Germany in a friendly match this week.

Beckham has not played since the end of the American Major League Soccer season almost a month ago, and Capello has insisted that he will only pick players who are playing regularly.

For Beckham, this means he will have to wait for his chance to become England’s most-capped player 替国家队出场参加比赛次数最多的球员. He is now one behind current record holder, Bobby Moore, who played for his country 108 times.

At least Beckham can take comfort 感到安慰 in the fact that he’ll be able to enjoy a bowl of chips.