England boss Fabio Capello has highlighted the importance of his squad playing regular first-team football as he prepares for next season's World Cup qualifiers.

Capello has been in Austria to keep an eye on Croatia at Euro 2008, the country that denied England qualification and are also their opponents in September.

The Italian wants to know the "secrets" of Slaven Bilic's side and feels getting the better of them in Zagreb will require players performing every week, hinting at the likes of Peter Crouch getting more of a chance with more minutes on the pitch.

"It's very important to see the players every week," Capello said. "It's better for us if they play regularly because players are fit if they play every game."

Jermain Defoe is an example Capello can point to, with the striker moving to Portsmouth and forcing his way into the England squad before ending the season with two goals in two games for his country.

Dean Ashton also had an impressive finale to the season and despite a disappointing 45-minute debut against Trinidad and Tobago, Capello is ready to give the West Ham striker another chance next season.

"Always when you are playing for the national team, it is not easy in your first game," Capello said.

"He will be with us for the next games as long as he is fit. I don't understand the criticism of Ashton because the England shirt brings a lot of pressure. He is a good player."

Capello was at Ernst Happel Stadium to watch Croatia stutter towards victory over co-hosts Austria, but despite their performance he believes England face a huge test against Bilic's men.

"I need to know everything, all the secrets of this team - the system, the set-pieces and the movement when they have the ball," Capello said.

"It was an interesting game, Croatia played with a great unity and it is a very strong team because it is a group. They pressed a lot and defended very well.

"We have to beat Croatia. They are a good team with good organisation and they are a strong group. In the last half an hour against Austria their spirit was very important.

"It will not be an easy game, but we have to win against Croatia."

One of the issues Capello has to resolve is who his permanent skipper will be.

So far Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, David Beckham and Gareth Barry have taken the armband, but the only ones ruled out of the running by Capello are his goalkeepers.

He said: "It's not important what position the captain is, but not the keeper. I prefer one player near to the referee to speak to him.

"I have around 50 days more to think. I have two candidates for the captain and have not decided. I will make the decision in the last week, I think on August 10, 10 days before the first game of the new season."

Capello was in a relaxed mood in the Austrian capital and said he was pleased with the progress since he took over from Steve McClaren.

The 61-year-old believes he has benefited from the experience of working away from Italy and despite insisting the Premier League is the best domestic competition in the world, playing away from England would not count against members of his squad.

One player who has been linked with a move to Italy is Frank Lampard.

"For every new experience you are richer," Capello said. "I don't know if Lampard will go to Inter Milan, he will decide."

Capello will now travel to Klagenfurt to watch Croatia face Germany.

He added: "For me it is like the other spectators, it's easy because you can watch the game without pressure. But I prefer to be a manager.

"Usually I know some (of my own) players because I was a manager of a team not a country. Now I see the games, it is very interesting to see the games differently."

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