England

The Italian has seen his status downgraded from hero to villain over the last 12 months – hero after a near-perfect run in World Cup qualifying and villain after the limp performances heralded just one win and humiliation at the hands of Germany.

Capello says he can live with the vitriol aimed in his direction from the press, though, and has effectively told his detractors that he is immune from the pressure piled on his shoulders.

Speaking ahead of Friday night’s showdown with Bulgaria at Wembley, Capello blasted his inquisitors by claiming: “You create the god, and you create the monster, no?

“I remember what you wrote about me a short time before this period.

“I live the same moment when you write well of me as when you write badly of me. You have to live with the pressure. It is my job.

“This is my team. We lost one game in the World Cup after one big mistake from the referee.

“You don’t remember this. But after this, your opinion about me changed completely.

“You wrote a lot of things differently. But I live with this situation.”

Capello’s position was the subject of an FA review immediately after the World Cup although the fact he had signed a new deal ahead of the tournament, reportedly removing the Italian’s get-out clause, may well have tied the governing body’s hands.

Regardless, Capello will lead England out against Stanimir Stoilov’s side later before the trip to Switzerland for next Tuesday’s clash with the well-organised Swiss.

Bulgaria’s squad is shorn of the services of Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov – he retired from international football in May at the age of 29 after 77 caps and a record 48 goals.

Stoilov can call on the Premier League duo of Stiliyan Petrov and Martin Petrov, but elsewhere there a few household names in the travelling party (England 3/10, draw 4/1, Bulgaria 10/1 – 90 minutes).

However, the same could have been said about Algeria ahead of the goalless draw with the North Africans back on June 18 when England were booed off the field by their own fans, prompting a furious outburst from striker Wayne Rooney (8/1 – England 0-0 Bulgaria).

England will be without Frank Lampard, John Terry, Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon and Bobby Zamora through injury.

Bulgaria have never won on English soil in five attempts.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Holloway led Blackpool to promotion via a play-off final win over Cardiff City, but with a limited budget the Bloomfield Road will face a massive challenge to stay in the Premier League.

However, the Seasiders boss believes unity and team-spirit will aid their bid for survival and claims the whole club are working together to give Blackpool the best possible chance of avoiding the drop.

“We will be doing things, but we will be doing what suits us,” explained Holloway. “We will be doing it together, we will be sticking together and we will be working together. That’s what got us where we are. When I say ‘we’, I mean the lads, the staff and the chairman.

“We are all in this together, whatever people might write and might try to cobble together as a complete pathetic story. Good luck to them but they won’t drive a wedge between any of us.

“There have been all sorts of rumours flying about everywhere, including myself walking out. That is about as ludicrous as it gets, but it’s a mad house in the Premiership and I’m glad I’m in it.”

Despite Holloway’s words of confidence Blackpool are still heavy favourites to finish rock-bottom of the Premier League with Totesport (10/11 rock bottom).  West Brom (10/3) and Newcastle (3/1), the other two promoted sides, are amongst the early contenders to finish bottom of the Premier League 2010/2011.

Blackpool are yet to add any new faces to the side that won promotion last season, and with a limited budget Holloway is not expected to make major changes.

However, following the World Cup business has been quieter than usual, with the possible exception of Manchester City and Wolves, and we may well see a few new faces arrive at Bloomfield Road between now and the start of the new campaign.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

The 30-year-old moved to the London club after failing to secure regular first-team football at Liverpool and will now be helping Chelsea try and retain the Premier League title and push on in Europe next season.

However the Israeli has come out and slammed his former manager for his behaviour during their time at the Merseyside club (Liverpool 10/1 to win the Premier League).

He told the News of the World:  “I made up my mind to leave a long time ago because of Benitez. He never treated me with the respect I deserved. If I played well, I never felt he gave me credit.

“And when the fans wanted me to play, Benitez told me he couldn’t understand why.”

Benayoun stated that on a number of occasions last season he was put down by the Spaniard after the player himself thought he had performed well.

He said: “There are many examples of him treating me badly.

“Last season, against Fulham  and Lyon,  the fans booed when I was subbed. They thought I was playing well but Benitez told me he was surprised they booed because I was not good enough,? he added.

The midfielder joined Liverpool from West Ham United in July 2007 and became a good utility player at the club but found it difficult to claim a starting eleven spot under Benitez.

Despite Roy Hodgson taking over as a manager at the Anfield club Benayoun decided it was time to leave and, after being given plenty of offers from clubs around Europe, he decided to join the Blues.

The player decided not to express his opinions of his former manager whilst at the club but has stated how Benitez damaged the player’s self belief.

He said: “He tried to destroy my confidence. You can’t treat a player like this and expect him to be happy.

“I felt so unhappy but, out of respect to the club, I never spoke out. The players and the people at the top of the club knew how I felt.”

Liverpool will be looking to improve on last season’s seventh place in the Premier League and begin their campaign against Arsenal at Anfield on August 14 (Liverpool 5/4, draw 23/10, Arsenal 7/4).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

The 30-year-old moved to the London club after failing to secure regular first-team football at Liverpool and will now be helping Chelsea try and retain the Premier League title and push on in Europe next season.

However the Israeli has come out and slammed his former manager for his behaviour during their time at the Merseyside club (Liverpool 10/1 to win the Premier League).

He told the News of the World:  “I made up my mind to leave a long time ago because of Benitez. He never treated me with the respect I deserved. If I played well, I never felt he gave me credit.

“And when the fans wanted me to play, Benitez told me he couldn’t understand why.”

Benayoun stated that on a number of occasions last season he was put down by the Spaniard after the player himself thought he had performed well.

He said: “There are many examples of him treating me badly.

“Last season, against Fulham  and Lyon,  the fans booed when I was subbed. They thought I was playing well but Benitez told me he was surprised they booed because I was not good enough,? he added.

The midfielder joined Liverpool from West Ham United in July 2007 and became a good utility player at the club but found it difficult to claim a starting eleven spot under Benitez.

Despite Roy Hodgson taking over as a manager at the Anfield club Benayoun decided it was time to leave and, after being given plenty of offers from clubs around Europe, he decided to join the Blues.

The player decided not to express his opinions of his former manager whilst at the club but has stated how Benitez damaged the player’s self belief.

He said: “He tried to destroy my confidence. You can’t treat a player like this and expect him to be happy.

“I felt so unhappy but, out of respect to the club, I never spoke out. The players and the people at the top of the club knew how I felt.”

Liverpool will be looking to improve on last season’s seventh place in the Premier League and begin their campaign against Arsenal at Anfield on August 14 (Liverpool 5/4, draw 23/10, Arsenal 7/4).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Holloway has been linked to the Hammers job following an excellent season at Bloomfield Road in which he has guided the club to within 90 minutes of the Premier League (Blackpool 6/5 Promotion) following a top-six Championship finish and play-off semi-final win against Nottingham Forest.

However, ahead of Saturday’s Wembley showdown against Cardiff City, (Blackpool 21/10,Cardiff 13/10, draw 9/4 90 Minutes) Holloway has pledged his long-term future to the Seasiders.

He said: “It’s an honour to be linked with something like that but it’s not genuine is it? If it was genuine then my chairman (Karl Oyston) would be talking to me about it. I think a lot of journalists are quite lazy. They look at things and think ‘oh, we can throw that name in’.

“At the end of the day it’s the people at the top of the clubs who make these decisions. You read the stories but these newspapers will be wrapping someone’s chips tomorrow. Never believe what you read in the papers. I don’t.

“I’m doing a job as well as I possibly can and I’m more than happy to keep doing it.”

Holloway’s outburst comes on the back of Blackburn’s denial that West Ham have made an approach to take Sam Allardyce (16/1) to Upton Park, while Portsmouth have paved the way clear for Avram Grant (1/10) to leave Fratton Park and take the job by saying they will not demand any compensation.

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.