Would you really trust this man with your national side?
The latest news from the circus that is FA headquarters is that England boss Fabio Capello has been trying to convince the heirarchy that the time is right to reinstate John Terry as captain.
According to numerous sources the Chelsea skipper will be handed back the role he was stripped of following the whole Wayne Bridge debacle.
Terry was forced to watch something of a ‘pass the parcel’ game with the skipper’s armband during the 2-1 friendly win in Denmark last month when, with captain Rio Ferdinand and vicecaptain Steven Gerrard sidelined and stand-in skipper Frank Lampard substituted, the armband was passed to Ashley Cole and then Gareth Barry.
With Ferdinand doubtful for the upcoming Euro qualifier with Wales and Gerrard definitely out, there’s a strong possiblity Capello may reinstate Terry.
This is just another example of the dithering and uncertainty which is fast becoming synonymous with Capello’s England tenure.
Ever since England qualified for the World Cup in South Africa, the former Real Madrid AC Milan Juventus and Roma manager has seemingly been on a mission to return England to its rightful place as the laughing stock of international football.
There was his squad selection, where he actually thought, an inured Gareth Barry was better value than Scott Parker or Tom Huddlestone and Shaun Wright Phillips was more influential than Theo Walcott. Jamie Carragher was coaxed out of retirement over Wes Brown, while Capello was that eager to convince Paul Scholes to play, he gave him a whole two hours notice and didn’t even make the call himself. Darren Bent wasn’t taken to South Africa, despite scoring 21 more goals that season than Emile Heskey who was on the plane.
Then there was his team selection, Robert Green was a better option than Joe Hart, Emile Heskey more lethal than Peter Crouch.
The whole tournament was a complete disaster as England barely scraped through the easiest group of the competition to be duly thrashed by an average German side.
Sitting there in Bloemfontein watching Emile Heskey take the field with England three goals down, was without doubt the nadir of my time as a football fan- well at least since March 14th 2009 at Old Trafford.
Following the holiday, sorry I mean tournament, Capello told the English media he knew it was time to give the younger generation a chance.
Which is exactly why he stuck with pretty much the same players he’s always picked for the subsequent friendlies.
Well he stuck with the players that he could, after picking Wes Brown and Paul Robinson only to find out they’d both retired from international football, such was the sterling level of communication prevelant in the England set-up.
Emile Heskey also retired which was a massive relief to everyone concerned with England apart from perhaps Capello who somehow viewed the hapless striker as his new talisman.
Then there was his handling of Sir David Beckham. feeling it better to announce to the media the former England skipper and World Cup bid ambassador had no England future before he actually told the man himself. An absolute farce, on all fronts, especially considering Capello took Beckham to South Africa as one of his coaching team- or backroom staff- or team liason-or whatever on earth he was.
One of the few players who has managed to gatecrash the ‘England boys club’ is Jack Wilshere, who’s talent is that great it’s made it impossible for Capello to ignore.
So how does the England manager handle his new shining star? Well how about comparing him to Claude Makelele and asking him to be the nation’s answer to arguably the greatest defensive midfielder of all-time.
Capello stated:
“Wilshere is better technically than Makelele. He’s slower than Makelele but when he receives the ball he is more dangerous than Makelele.”
Just what on earth is the value in that entire train of thought? It’s as pointless as it is erroneous and simply added to the feeling that Capello was gradually experiencing a touch of the Graham Taylors.
Now the latest story, of John Terry, the same man who attempted an unsuccesful one man mutiny in South Africa is the man deemed best equipped to lead the Three Lions in the future, merely underlines the idea that Capello is losing his grip on reality.
He may be one of the most succesful club managers of all time, but the multi million pound contract he signed before the World Cup, may have helped push him over the precipice.
If Terry is awarded the armband, it will simply be further evidence that a manager once renowned for his authority and clarity of thought now has neither at his disposal.
There’s nothing wrong with admitting your wrong but of late that’s all Capello seems to be good for.
Am I being overly harsh or not harsh enough on our nation’s coach?
Feel free to share your thoughts below.
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Took the words right out of my mouth.
Sums up pretty much what has to be said. He was untouchable before the World Cup but now he’s reduced himself to a bumbling idiot. Nobody respects him anymore. I chuckle when he opts to always bring on Shaun Wright-Phillips every match. SWP of course, a noted game-winner. I just hope 2012 will be better. It’s his last hurrah.
This is hilariously true….great job, brutally honest, but still awesome.