FEB 10 — The build-up to this weekend’s Premier League fixtures — including the English classico between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford — has been overshadowed by the abrupt resignation of Fabio Capello as England manager on Wednesday evening.
On the surface, Capello has packed up and left simply because he opposed and felt undermined by the Football Association’s (FA) decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy while the defender’s court case for racist behaviour remains unresolved.
I’ve already written on that subject and explained why I feel the FA is right and Capello is wrong, but the Italian is due some sympathy for the apparent fact that he wasn’t consulted on the decision to axe Terry — instead, it was discussed by the FA’s management board and presented to the manager as a fait accompli, with little or no opportunity for him to influence the outcome.
However, I can’t help but feel there must be more to Capello’s departure than that. After all, we are four months away from a major international tournament that has been two years in the planning... and Capello walks out simply because he’s been told to change his captain? I don’t buy it; there must be other factors at play.
One day, I’m sure, the real reasons for Capello’s abrupt decision to leave will be revealed — these things have a habit of failing to stay secret for too long.
Until then, we are left to speculate and, although many observers believe that Capello was already frustrated by his employers and this was simply the final straw, I would propose it’s also highly possible the Italian is seeking to protect his reputation by avoiding the prospect of a potentially disastrous Euros.
With his best player, Wayne Rooney, absent through suspension from the opening two games, a disaffected former captain possibly stirring up ill feelings amongst other members of the squad, a worrying lack of depth in the striking department, uncertainty over the best central defensive pairing and little penetration from the wide positions, I wouldn’t be surprised if Capello made the conclusion that his team would fail to make any impression on the tournament and quit while the going was relatively good.
After all, England’s group is far from straightforward: co-hosts Ukraine will be a force to be reckoned with on their home turf; Sweden possess a solid all-round team and a potential matchwinner in Zlatan Ibrahimovic; France are gradually reasserting themselves and will be desperate to make amends for their horrendous World Cup 2010 showing... add into the mix Rooney’s absence from the opening two games and England’s propensity to reserve their very worst form for the early stages of major tournaments, and you’ve got anything but a recipe for Three Lions success.
If Capello had stayed to oversee a group stage exit and the inevitable subsequent media mauling, what would that have done for his reputation? How much would his earning power have been diminished when he started to look for another job?
Maybe that’s all wide of the mark and Capello really did resign simply on the principle of being undermined on Terry... but it doesn’t feel right. If you were managing a national team and had high hopes of enjoying success in a major upcoming event, would you really leave your post so easily? I don’t think so. Maybe, then, his hopes weren't that high.
In any case, he’s gone and the FA is left with the unpleasant task of assessing exactly what Capello did to advance the cause of English football during his extremely expensive three-year tenure... not a great deal, I would suggest.
The powers-that-be also have to decide who should replace Capello, with Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp immediately installed as the red-hot favourite.
What a strange day Wednesday must have been for Redknapp, who woke up to face the verdict of a court case into alleged tax evasion but went to bed cleared of all charges and widely tipped for the suddenly vacant post of national team manager!
However, one thing that’s been largely lost in all the talk of Redknapp’s seemingly inevitable appointment is the question of whether he would actually want the job in the first place.
There’s no reason why it should be a straightforward decision for Redknapp, especially if Spurs enjoy a strong finish to the season and he has to choose between the mouth-watering prospect of another season in the UEFA Champions League (the best and most exciting football on the planet) and the poisoned chalice of the England post (the impossible job that will almost certainly result in failure and bitter recriminations).
I know which I’d prefer — and it would involve the white shirt of Tottenham rather than the white shirt of England.
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
