Well done lads, you've driven Fabio Capello crazy: Why England won't win the World Cup

IT must be great to be foreign. Not English I mean. I’ve spent the last month trying to explain why the British tabloids talk such nonsense about South Africa. Now we've started picking on ourselves.

Today, Fabio Capello learned what I’ve learned. The voracious English press has no morals, no limits. They just do what they want, doesn’t matter about the national need for a World Cup victory after 44 years of hurt.

As long as they can get another exclusive snap, a paper-selling exclusive, they will do anything. Just ask John Terry or Ashley Cole.

Today at the England’s luxurious Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus, England’s Italian Generalissimo finally lost it. He shouted at the endless clicking of the photographers, asking them: “WHY, WHY do you need to take a picture of the dressing rooms? WHY?”

His outburst came after the snappers had snapped at the heels of the England side as they went on a game drive in the neighbouring Pilanesburg Nature Reserve, the morning after a very mediocre performance against local club Platinum Stars at the local Maruleng Stadium.

Frankly, they were rubbish. They won 3-0 but nobody was fooled. Local coach Gavin Hunt, who has won the last three South African Premier League titles with Supersports United, described them as “rubbish”.

And poor old Fabio, attempting to get his lads to focus despite the threat of the tabloids – Ashley Cole, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Steve Gerrard all live in fear of the daily revelations – cannot escape the attentions of Her Majesty’s scribes. The FA called it a "gross invasion of privacy".

Here’s what Marc Aspland, the Times photographer has to say: “Yesterday’s problems can be traced back to Tuesday afternoon, when the England players went on safari.

“Capello got out of the wrong side of bed and I am sure it was a factor in what followed. A t the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus the hotel is a little way from another building where the players get changed before training. Normally the photographers line up outside and wait for the players and Capello to come out.

"Capello and his staff are usually on the pitch by the time we get set up because he is extremely punctual. But yesterday we got there first and could see through one of the windows that Michael Dawson was having a massage.

"When Capello came out of the building and saw all of our cameras pointing that way he assumed we were taking pictures of Dawson and lost his temper. It was a massive overreaction to the situation — none of us was taking any pictures. It was a proper, red-blooded, Italian rant.”

None of us was taking any pictures? A Times journalist who can’t even speak grammatical English. It’s appalling. Send them home. Let England’s players enjoy this tournament. Stop this hysterical madness.

Before a ball has been kicked, the other 31 nations at this World Cup have an advantage over England. Because they have a reasonable, decent media following. They want their nation to win this tournament. Already, Terry has lost the captaincy through the hysteria. Ashley Cole is a shadow of the man who became the best left-back in the world two years ago. Gerrard is under constant pressure.

Leave them alone lads. Help us to win the World Cup. Don’t mess Fabio and England’s finest around. The nation deserves better than a pack of jackals. You make me ashamed.

Video of the Capello rant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENNPo6AF1Loac

Jonjo Shelvey signs for Liverpool... does this mean Steven Gerrard is off in the summer?

Just in: Charlton's 18-year-old Jonjo Shelvey is off to Liverpool for £1.7m. Pretty straightforward on the face of it. Shelvey passed his medical this morning and will officially join the Reds on May 10.

He's played for England U17s and he's a top youngster. The interesting thing is hearing his former captain Matt Holland on TalkSport. He's just said: "Jonjo is a tremendous player. He idolises Stevie Gerrard. He plays like him too, he has all his attributes. He can get up there with the strikers and work back."

Given the rumours about Gerrard at the moment (I would never repeat such nonsense, just hit Google) does this suggest the greatest living Liverpudlian is off in the summer?

Certainly that's gossip. On Saturday the Daily Mail pictured his wife Alex Curran out and about without her wedding ring, though she has denied there are any problems in their marriage.

Still, if Shelvey is the new Gerrard, and with Rafa Benitez linked to Juventus and Real Madrid, it could be all change at Anfield - where Atletico Madrid will fight for their lives in the Europa League semi-final tomorrow.

Of course the owners, American comedy duo Gillett and Hicks, are trying to wriggle out of their Liverpool investment with a profit, but still - curiously - the Shelvey deal has been whisked through.

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow appears to be the major player in this transfer. He said: "Jonjo is an exciting young England international. His signing is part of our long-term strategic recruitment plan and we all look forward to welcoming him to our training ground at Melwood."

Shelvey, who scored eight goals in his 48 appearances for Charlton, is the youngest player to ever play for their first team, making his debut in 2008 at the tender age of 16 years and 59 days.

The lad from Romford first came to prominence at the Valley in 2007 when he scored 14 goals in 23 appearances for Charlton's Under 18s – including 9 goals during Charlton's FA Youth Cup run.

On 3 January last year, Shelvey became Charlton's youngest-ever goal-scorer, with a strike against Norwich City in the FA Cup, 55 days before his 17th birthday. He also captained England's Under 16s to the Victory Shield in 2008, scoring three goals in three games.

Charlton chairman Richard Murray grieved: "It is with the greatest reluctance that we have accepted an offer for Jonjo from Liverpool. No club likes to lose such a talented prospect, but the overall package is one we couldn't refuse, and one which was very attractive to Jonjo.

"Liverpool are going to develop him over the next few years to be a top player, and I can't think of a better place for him to go to."

Liverpool and Charlton are also in talks about a possible joint development initiative that would see players move in both directions in future.