Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton has paid tribute to England manager Fabio Capello.

"Ever since Wednesday night I've had a spring in my stride," Charlton told The Independent yesterday, "because I believe England have got something back that I feared was lost for ever.

"They have a great leader in Capello who has given them something that is both rare and precious in this age of football when the players have such huge rewards and so many distractions.

"He has given them focus. When I look at the team in their competitive games now - and it was especially true when they confirmed their qualification with that great 5-1 win over Croatia this week - I cannot help but remember how it was when I played under Sir Alf Ramsey and we won the World Cup in 1966.

"Bobby Moore, my brother Jack, Alan Ball, Nobby Stiles, all of us, believed in Alf and that was the most vital part of our success. It was the absolute foundation. Now I look at the current England players when Capello is talking and I see that level of respect. When he speaks it is so clear they are listening.

"There is tremendous talent in the game today but if you ask any manager about the toughest part of his job he will tell you it is guaranteeing performance. Talent is so important but it can be reduced to nothing if there isn't determination and, most important of all, concentration on the job in hand, and I really believe that this is harder to get in football today than it has ever been before."