For those interested (since that seems to be the talk of the moment, in England of course but also abroad), you can check out my latest Soccerlens article below on the possible candidates to succeed Steve McLaren as England manager. I’ve posted the parts concerning Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi below. My pick is Capello personally, given that according to Gazzetta della Sport, Capello is scheduled to travel to London over the week-end. Coincidence?
The names tied to Steve McLaren’s succession as England manager are flocking, both in the British press as well as abroad. The job divides opinion: some consider it one of the top international posts, while others see it as a poisoned chalice, but either way the English FA should be making a decision within the next week. So meanwhile while we wait, let’s have a look at the potential candidates.
Read the full article on Soccerlens
.
Marcello Lippi
Unlikely. According to his declarations in Gazzetta dello Sport‘s videochat, the Italian World Cup champion said “I like the Premier League, but I don’t speak English. That, for my approach to see and live football is a big handicap. I could be a national coach again, but never France and if I had to choose, I prefer Spain over England“. If you’re not convinced, Lippi just refused the seat of Birmingham City
.
Fabio Capello
In the end, the most likely winner of the “race-to-the-England-bench” might be a foreigner, the only one so far who declared he’d be interested and available. “The challenge of coaching a national side like England would be something different. The job is not about coaching every day” said Capello to the BBC, confirming the previous declarations he’d made during the Italy-Faroe Islands commentary. He added: “It would be a very difficult challenge but a very exciting one“. According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta della Sport, Capello is scheduled to travel to London over the week-end. Coincidence?
.
.
Right now, my money is on Fabio Capello. If I were the English FA I’d jump on the occasion this instant: the man is a bit arrogant (but in no way to the extent of José Mourinho), plays defensive football which might not please the English fans too much, but more importantly he can win, win, win! Capello is a winner and a tactical mastermind, one of the most respected managers of Italian football. Wherever he’s gone, be it the golden years of AC Milan, or Real Madrid, AS Roma, or Juventus, he’s collected boatloads of trophies.
In football, you can complain all you want that your team isn’t playing spectacularly or that you’re winning every match by 1-0, but all that matters in the ends are results: I am sure the English fans would be ready to forgive Capello if he takes them to a World Cup victory (not that I see that happening anytime soon, but who knows…). If the ex-Real Madrid coach is truly interested in managing England, the FA would be fools to pass this opportunity up, despite the fact that he’s a foreign manager.
.
Meanwhile, the ink is still flowing on now-sacked Steve McLaren, especially due to Macca’s refusal to resign after being knocked out of Euro 2008 contention, thereby obtaining a cushy ₤2.5m compensation from the English FA for terminating his contract. The Daily Mail titled “Why Should He Get A Penny“ in their print edition and included a photo of McLaren & wife ready to depart to the Caribbean, where the couple just recently purchased a house. Not much worse than the Daily Express to be honest, which reported that a train driver of the London Underground (or subway if you prefer) spoke the following message on the train intercom, to explain the lateness of his convoy: “I apologize for the delay, but we are receiving reports that a man may be blocking the rails in front of the head carriage. We are hoping it is Steve McLaren“.
Posted in English Premiership |
Related Posts:
.jpg)
If England is after a trophy, Capello / Lippi / Mourinho are the best options.
Of course, if we’re after actually winning something, then we need to improve the training our players get at youth level.
I think it would be great to get Jose Mourinho, but I thuink we’ll end up with Fabio Capello, either way both are good managers.
i would prefer ……Franz Beckenbauer. but he’s been away from the post a long time
Maybe they should get Dick Advocaat. Sure he’s pledged (and signed) himself to Zenit St. Petersburg, but we all know how little an Advocaat pledge (and signature) means….
Mourinho without a doubt. He may prefer a club but i can’t see his ego turning down the chance to be ‘the saviour’ of England. My second choice is O’Neill but i’d be more than happy with Capello too. Anyone but Klinsmann. I’m not knocking the man’s talent and i may sound racist and blinkered but i just couldn’t take a German as England manager. No way. It’s bad enough we can’t produce a home grown manager good enough for the job but we don’t have to go cap in hand to our biggest rivals. It’s too much for my English pride(ego) to take.
Glenn Hoddle
Can’t see the point for Mourinho in taking the England job at this stage of his career. He’s a young man. He’ll probably want a job in Spain at Barcelona or Madrid; or possibly at Bayern Munich who will be looking for a new coach in the summer. Barcelona or Madrid would appeal to his vanity. Bayern Munich might appeal more to his style: pragmatic, disciplined and organised.
Mourinho is a strong Portuguese patriot. England could end up in the same qualifying group as Portugal. How would Mourinho feel about that? Would a Portuguese patriot really want to go down in Portuguese sporting history as the man who knocked Portugal out of the world cup?
Capello is the stand out choice for me, but only if he is joined by someone like Alan Shearer. Capello would provide the head; Shearer as a former England captain, would provide the heart. Shearer having played against most of the England players or having observed them closely over many years would have a better insight into their strengths and weaknesses than most.
Capello and Shearer would make for an interesting coaching proposition, but they would need a go-between; a first rate coach who was fluent in both Italian and English.
I don’t know why but this article seems to be a copy or partially copied from a site that I had visited recently .. maybe it was the BBC
I see Allardyce was getting linked with the job as well… Though I doubt the FA are silly enough to fall for those North Eastern ‘pranks’ again.
Middlesbrough weren’t thinking of the best for their country during those chants of ‘McClaren for England!’ you know, and since those fellows at St James’ are trying the same… Probably best to steer clear.