John Terry has admitted he finds the assertion England are playing in fear at the World Cup "a little bit" offensive.

Coach Fabio Capello has claimed fear is a reason why his players struggled so badly in their opening two games and now require victory over Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday to prevent them having to make a humiliatingly early flight home.

Others have offered the same view, including former England international Steve McManaman.

It is not an opinion Terry shares. Nor is fear a feeling he feels in the dressing room, before, during, or after games.

And at the risk of putting himself on a collision course with his manager, Terry rejects the theory completely.

"I am a little bit offended when people say we are afraid because we're not," he said.

"We can accept people saying we played bad but we don't accept things like that.

"I can see why people say it because at times we don't play as flowingly as we do at our clubs - but I don't feel that."

When he assesses the individual experiences most of the England squad have been through, the Chelsea star suggests fear should be an alien concept.

The Stamford Bridge outfit, along with Manchester United and Liverpool, have all contested Champions League finals while those who ply their trade at Tottenham and Aston Villa have been involved in major domestic showpieces over the past couple of seasons.

Even a club like West Ham, whilst they would have preferred not to have done so, have been through the trauma of a relegation dog-fight.

"I have seen an interview with Steve McManaman which said players had played in Champions League finals, which I have, and really nervous times," said Terry.

"He then made the point that a group game should be no bigger than a Champions League game.

"Once you go out there, that fear is gone. You might have that little fear and a few butterflies before the game, but once you are out there it disappears.

"It is no excuse."