Tottenham captain Ledley King admits he felt "awkward" at first when joining up with Fabio Capello's England squad.

Capello demands total commitment from his players, but because of King's troublesome knees, the Spurs defender is spared from serious training.

"I think it was hard for him and me," he told the Daily Mail. "I felt awkward at first but I couldn't have asked for more. He's been brilliant. It's just a different situation. I've not been involved with England these past few years and they've not seen how I work in the week. It's been a bit of a shock to the players and maybe the staff, but the manager has been brilliant.

"He's told me to do what I would normally do. There are times when you're tempted to try to do a bit too much but I have to try to make sure I'm available and ready for the games. It's flattering that the manager has shown great faith in me. He's been first class."