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World Cup England
by Phil McNulty - BBC Sport 14 December 2007
Fabio Capello's appointment as England coach has been met with a predictable mixture of delight and despair.
Delight, not least within the Football Association, that the "world-class coach" promised after the Steve McClaren fiasco has been delivered so spectacularly.
Despair because that coach is Italian not English - a signal of the paucity of home-grown candidates suitable for the job.
Let's start with Capello before moving on to the latest bleatings of the "Little England" brigade.
Capello is a superb alternative to the popular choice Jose Mourinho, who prefers a return to club football as opposed to the international stage.
The FA has been criticised heavily here in the past - but this time credit is due for a brilliant appointment.
The much-decorated Italian will pursue success ruthlessly.
He has, gloriously, no time for the star system that has dragged England down, and has huge respect from peers such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez.
Capello will instil that respect, and no little fear, into an England squad who have lived in the comfort zone too long.
If England fail again, let fingers be pointed solely in the direction of their so-called stars because no-one can doubt the coach's knowledge and credentials.
Does it matter that he is not English? Should it matter that he is not English?
No and no.
If the identi-kit English candidate was in front of FA chief executive Brian Barwick's nose, he would undoubtedly have chosen him.
But where is he?
Steve Coppell, Gareth Southgate and Paul Ince have led the complaints, but the words sound hollow.
Who would they have?
Alan Curbishley and Sam Allardyce have no track record of winning trophies, while Ince even suggested Glenn Hoddle could be England coach, which only proves the old "Guv'nor" has a very short memory.
And then there is Harry Redknapp.
The same Redknapp who is doing brilliantly at Portsmouth, but who also claimed only two of the Croatian players that twice outshone England comprehensively would actually make this country's team.
If that is Redknapp's considered judgement on that particular episode, then he is best kept out of England affairs.
Redknapp is a superb juggler of playing talent at club level, but an England manager?
He would never have seriously registered on the FA's radar.
The naysayers also forget England have just had an English coach in Steve McClaren, nurtured as right-hand man to the previous incumbent, with predictably disastrous results.
Capello will apparently have an English coach on his staff. If this is a token gesture, then it must not happen.
This coach, as yet unknown, should not come in if Capello does not know him or want him.
It is only playing to the gallery and would be a waste of time and money.
Capello has a list of successes any potential English candidates can only dream about.
He is an outstanding choice - and it should also be stressed the FA, led by Barwick, has handled the succession to McClaren almost without fault.
The lack of up-and-coming English candidates is another matter.
And it is one that is hopefully being dealt with in the "root and branch" examination announced with such gravitas by FA chairman Geoff Thompson.
Let's hope one move is to reactivate the moth-balled Burton project as a training ground for emerging coaches and players.
Maybe Capello himself can be persuaded to spread some of his expertise around the English coaching community.
For now, however, the FA has appointed the best man for the job once Mourinho ruled himself out and the usual blizzard of mixed messages emerged about Martin O'Neill from various quarters in the Midlands.
Barwick would have appointed an Englishman had there been one out there worthy of the job.
There isn't - so the complaints must stop.
by Phil McNulty - BBC Sport 14 December 2007
Fabio Capello's appointment as England coach has been met with a predictable mixture of delight and despair.
Delight, not least within the Football Association, that the "world-class coach" promised after the Steve McClaren fiasco has been delivered so spectacularly.
Despair because that coach is Italian not English - a signal of the paucity of home-grown candidates suitable for the job.
Let's start with Capello before moving on to the latest bleatings of the "Little England" brigade.
Capello is a superb alternative to the popular choice Jose Mourinho, who prefers a return to club football as opposed to the international stage.
The FA has been criticised heavily here in the past - but this time credit is due for a brilliant appointment.
The much-decorated Italian will pursue success ruthlessly.
He has, gloriously, no time for the star system that has dragged England down, and has huge respect from peers such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez.
Capello will instil that respect, and no little fear, into an England squad who have lived in the comfort zone too long.
If England fail again, let fingers be pointed solely in the direction of their so-called stars because no-one can doubt the coach's knowledge and credentials.
Does it matter that he is not English? Should it matter that he is not English?
No and no.
If the identi-kit English candidate was in front of FA chief executive Brian Barwick's nose, he would undoubtedly have chosen him.
But where is he?
Steve Coppell, Gareth Southgate and Paul Ince have led the complaints, but the words sound hollow.
Who would they have?
Alan Curbishley and Sam Allardyce have no track record of winning trophies, while Ince even suggested Glenn Hoddle could be England coach, which only proves the old "Guv'nor" has a very short memory.
And then there is Harry Redknapp.
The same Redknapp who is doing brilliantly at Portsmouth, but who also claimed only two of the Croatian players that twice outshone England comprehensively would actually make this country's team.
If that is Redknapp's considered judgement on that particular episode, then he is best kept out of England affairs.
Redknapp is a superb juggler of playing talent at club level, but an England manager?
He would never have seriously registered on the FA's radar.
The naysayers also forget England have just had an English coach in Steve McClaren, nurtured as right-hand man to the previous incumbent, with predictably disastrous results.
Capello will apparently have an English coach on his staff. If this is a token gesture, then it must not happen.
This coach, as yet unknown, should not come in if Capello does not know him or want him.
It is only playing to the gallery and would be a waste of time and money.
Capello has a list of successes any potential English candidates can only dream about.
He is an outstanding choice - and it should also be stressed the FA, led by Barwick, has handled the succession to McClaren almost without fault.
The lack of up-and-coming English candidates is another matter.
And it is one that is hopefully being dealt with in the "root and branch" examination announced with such gravitas by FA chairman Geoff Thompson.
Let's hope one move is to reactivate the moth-balled Burton project as a training ground for emerging coaches and players.
Maybe Capello himself can be persuaded to spread some of his expertise around the English coaching community.
For now, however, the FA has appointed the best man for the job once Mourinho ruled himself out and the usual blizzard of mixed messages emerged about Martin O'Neill from various quarters in the Midlands.
Barwick would have appointed an Englishman had there been one out there worthy of the job.
There isn't - so the complaints must stop.