Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will captain England [Images] in Wednesday's friendly against Switzerland [Images], the team's first match under new Italian coach Fabio Capello.

- England begin new era under Capello

Gerrard leads the side at Wembley in the absence of injured defender John Terry who was the regular captain under former manager Steve McClaren.

Capello told a news conference on Tuesday: "I will not name a permanent captain until we start the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra in September.

"But Steven Gerrard will be captain against Switzerland. He is the captain of Liverpool and has authority. He is important because he can transmit things and pass on things and inspire players on the pitch."

The honour comes as Gerrard was named as the England fans' Player of the Year for 2007.

Gerrard won the award from 42 candidates, polling 22 per cent of the votes. Manchester City defender Micah Richards finished second in the poll.

Gerrard also captained his country at the start of last year against Spain and skippered the side five times in the 11 matches he played for England last year.

HUGELY IMPRESSED

Capello said he had been hugely impressed by the attitude of the players in the squad after his opening three training sessions with them.

"We have only just started working together and our objective is to form a group that will gel together before our match against Andorra.

"These last two days we have worked very hard on the tactical front, watched and analysed videos and done all of this to create a group mentality and a way of moving on the pitch that reflects my ideas about football."

Asked whether he had brought a tougher line of discipline to the squad, he replied: "The important thing is, we are all professionals and we love this job and we do have certain obligations towards the fans.

"I have set them some rules because we only have three days and in those three days we need to try and set and create a way of working. We eat together and we get up from the table together, being punctual and respecting each other."

Capello added that he would not be thinking about the goal he scored for Italy [Images] against England at Wembley in 1973 or anything else before the kickoff or during the match against Switzerland.

"There will be no room for sentiment," he added, "I will be totally focused on what is happening on the pitch, that is my job."

Asked about former captain David Beckham [Images], left out of the squad on 99 caps, Capello said: "I respect David Beckham greatly for what we achieved together at Real Madrid, but it is far more important to talk about the players who are in the squad, rather than those who are not here."

Beckham, who swapped Real for LA Galaxy last year, told Sky Sports: "The thing is I half expected it because I know what Fabio Capello is like as a manager and if he thinks you're not fit and ready to play then you won't be in the team.

"I totally respect that and totally understand that. There are a lot of Premiership players who have played 15 games in the last two months and I haven't played a game since December - so to be called into the squad was probably unfair."

• Complete football coverage