World Cup will be a greatest test for Capello as a manager

England manager Fabio Capello has claimed the World Cup will be his greatest test as a manager ahead of the draw for next summer's finals in South Africa.

Capello's side go into tonight's draw as one of the eight top seeds, and are guaranteed to avoid the powerhouses of world football such as bookies' favourites Brazil, holders Italy and European champions Spain. However, they could face strong unseeded nations such as France, Portugal, USA and Ivory Coast.

The Italian, who is one of the most successful club managers in history, said he was relishing the new challenge as he arrived in Cape Town for the draw,

"It's new for me. As a player it was different, because you think for you, now you have to think of more things, decide more things, check more things. The next five months will be really important to decide everything," said Capello.

"For me it's the first time I've breathed this atmosphere of the World Cup, the sensation. I can taste it. The airport, the people, the FIFA World Cup, Bafana Bafana, it's exciting.

"It will be a great test, the hardest test of me as a manager."

Capello said he was not worried about the prospect of drawing the likes of Thierry Henry's Bleus, claiming: "It is not important which team we have to play."

However, he singled out Ivory Coast as the most dangerous team in Pot 3, saying they had enough ability to reach the semi-finals.

He said: "I think about the Africans. I saw the Ivory Coast and they are a very strong team I saw them play against Germany," said Capello, who travelled to Gelsenkirchen for last month's friendly.

"They impressed me very much. They played well. Didier Drogba was injured and didn't play but it was a really good team, one of the best teams in Africa.

"The spirit of this team is to go forward, sometimes they have some problems when they have to defend, but all the players are really good technically, and it's not easy to play against.

"I think this will be one of the most important World Cups for the African teams and I believe one of these countries will get to the last four."

Capello said Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has plenty of time to shake off his nagging back problem.

"It's not a worry if he's not fit even in January," he said. "An Italian example is Alessandro Nesta who was injured for one year, now he's the best, and people are saying please come back into the national team.

"I cannot say he will be fit or not but I hope so - I hope the best England players will be fit."

Eurosport