Capello praises Gerrard

Last Updated : 06-Feb-2008 by
The new England boss has appointed Gerrard captain for tonight's friendly against Switzerland. Gerrard got the nod because he 'commands authority'.

"Steven Gerrard is the Liverpool captain - and Liverpool are a very important team which won the Campions League," said Capello.

"He is a player who commands authority and can lead by example on the pitch and inspire the team. I think he is an important player for England and he will be the captain for this match.

"He is not going to be a permanent captain and I am not going to announce a permanent captain before the Andorran game.

"But at the moment, I believe Steven Gerrard is important for everyone, for all the players we have, because he is a player who can transmit things and, like I said, can inspire players."