[Archived] The Italian Mafia

[tony gale's mic]

i just can't take anyone seriously who isn't happy with this appointment and wants an english manager.

who would you pick then?! redknapp is a decent manager but if you look at all the other top nations, they have top managers. he patently isnt in their league. sure if there was an english candidate available then we should have gone for him but there patently isnt. and waggy...shearer? beckham?!!!!! christ, i dont give a monkeys if van basten or klinsmann had no experience, shearer and beckham are totally different people and that proves absolutely nothing.

its retarded thinking like that which got us into our last mess. personally, if the players on the pitch are english, thats good enough for me. look at the premier league now, its full of foreign managers and coaches who help develop our players. they have/will have a huge impact into the way our future england players develop and play, it's called globalisation, and having a foreign english manager is just a part of that process. look at france, half of their team that won the world cup werent even born in france and you dont see them complaining.

[bluebruce]

Mafia? Sure, let's just jump to ludicrous conclusions. All the Italian nation are in the Mafia, I did forget.

Anyway, England is the home of football. We SHOULD be able to produce an English mind capable of taking our team to glory with the batch we've got. However, we can't. We woefully can't. Now what would produce greater pride for our country on an international stage- being too stupid to recognise this fact and employing another mcclarenesque muppet? Or acknowledging the problem and contending for a cup?

Besides, to be quite honest, I'd have bloody Messi play for us if there was some loophole allowing it! You follow the rules, and the rules permit backroom staff of any nationality. Rightly so in my opinion.

Somebody said something like, does it make us proud if English win because they are English? Well, does it make us proud when Blackburn win something because all the players are from Blackburn? From the same country as Blackburn? No. Because it's the team we support because it's where WE are from.

[USRoverME]

Anyone who thinks the manager is the most important member of a national team is delusional.

Managers don't score, make saves, make tackles, make passes, take free kicks, etc.

But, to those callnig for an english manager, does this mean you will never cheer or mention a world cup win under Cappelo since its 'tainted'? In that case, please, god almighty, let england win... it'll save the rest of us in the world from having to hear any more about 1966.

[thenodrog]

Anyone who thinks the manager is the most important member of a national team is delusional.

OK I'm delusional. You sir are gormless.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Capello hates hairy shins

Perhaps some of the England players better start shaving their legs then...

And yes, that picture in the link above of Capello in an orange tutu is genuine - he actually did dress up like that. A strange guy, but it's difficult to argue against his managerial CV. He's won league titles at each of the four clubs he's worked for - AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus.

If you were being picky, it could be argued that his recent record in the Champions League over the last few seasons isn't all that impressive. In 2005, I thought Juventus were dreadful in their quarter-final tie against Liverpool. The following year in 2006, Juventus were also poor when going out in the quarter-final against Arsenal. In 2007, Capello's Real Madrid team were knocked out in the last 16 of the Champions League.

While at Madrid, Capello told his critics that "the days of beautiful attacking football are over". I disagree with Capello. In an ideal world it should be possible to attempt to play in an attractive attacking style and to win football matches.

I think Capello's reported salary of around £6m per year is excessive. Did the FA really have to fork out that much to get him? Before landing the England job, Capello publicly stated how much he wanted the job - so couldn't the FA have offered him a salary of a couple of million less per year, on a par with Steve McClaren's salary ?

If Capello had turned down, say, £4m per year, then that would indicate that he's a greedy bugger. Capello is already an extremely wealthy man who reportedly owns an art collection worth £10m.

I also suspect that the FA are once again being dishonest by stating that Capello "was always the number one choice of the FA". No, Fabio became the number one choice after Mourinho, who had talks with Brian Barwick, turned the job down.

It was Barwick who in the summer of 2006, ludicrously said that Steve McClaren would bring "class and style" to the England job and that McClaren had always been the FA's number one choice. So why did the FA spend time trying to court Phil Scolari then? Do the FA think that the British public are a bunch of fools? 800 million quid on a stadium with a crap pitch and they can't even get a national football academy going properly. If Fabio Capello fails to deliver, then surely Brian Barwick has to go....

[thenodrog]

how much experince had van basten,klinsman

This is an absolute farce. In fact it's an obscenity! Barwick and Thompson et al should not be sacked they should be bloody well shot! We are not a top 5 footballing nation but I'd wager that we could have employed the pair of em with Scolari chucked in for good measure for the amount that we are forking out for Capello alone. In continuing to spend money like water and chuck good money after bad the FA are making the country look foolish in the eyes of the rest of the world. We are now the international version of West Ham and will be similarly reviled. Everybody and their mother will sweat blood to beat us.

As for our all new eytie freinds ...... Capello and his chums retirement funds are now complete, all they have to do now for a really easy life is to lose a few WC matches next year. Will the FA never learn?

The only good thing about this is that I have a feeling that if Capello wants to progress and maitain his reputation that Lampard, Gerrard and Terry will soon have their noses pushed well and truly out of joint. One out of the squad and two on the bench would be my first move. Maybe if the last manager had had the balls / sense to do that he might still be in a job.

[pg]

If you guys don't want Capello we'll gladly have him.

[bluebruce]

Surely to God we don't need to be paying Capello 6 million a year. Why on earth would he want so much - probably more than he's ever been paid before - for a job which is less demanding on his time than any he's done before? Nobody else was reported to be in for him. I'm sure we're just paying him more than we needed to.

[broadsword]

For that dough he has to deliver teh World Cup.

[gumboots]

This is an absolute farce. In fact it's an obscenity! Barwick and Thompson et al should not be sacked they should be bloody well shot! We are not a top 5 footballing nation but I'd wager that we could have employed the pair of em with Scolari chucked in for good measure for the amount that we are forking out for Capello alone. In continuing to spend money like water and chuck good money after bad the FA are making the country look foolish in the eyes of the rest of the world. We are now the international version of West Ham and will be similarly reviled. Everybody and their mother will sweat blood to beat us.

As for our all new eytie freinds ...... Capello and his chums retirement funds are now complete, all they have to do now for a really easy life is to lose a few WC matches next year. Will the FA never learn?

The only good thing about this is that I have a feeling that if Capello wants to progress and maitain his reputation that Lampard, Gerrard and Terry will soon have their noses pushed well and truly out of joint. One out of the squad and two on the bench would be my first move. Maybe if the last manager had had the balls / sense to do that he might still be in a job.

Have we started playing ineligible players now as well as employing a foreign coach?

[speeeeeeedie]

Do the English only drum beaters support Rovers less because of our foreign contingent? When we won the Worthington Cup, I believe our captain that day was a Norwegian (please correct me if I'm wrong). Does that make the victory less? I can't understand why anyone would want an English manager after the last man we had did such a terrible job. Results count not nationality.

I reckon that part of the reason why England are crap is a result of some of the no foreigner nay sayers we have. It's so arrogant to think that we have to have an Englishman managing the national team (just to clarify; I lambasted Sven after the world cup, not because of his nationality, but for his sketchy tactics and substitutions). It sounds like we're too good to have a non-native in charge. That arrogance got us where we are today. The best man available for the job took it; he now has to deliver, if he doesn't he will be sent to the gallows like all who have gone before him. Whoever mentioned globalisation is right, this is the world we live in, if the best bridge engineer lives in Bangladesh and I want to build a complicated bridge, I'll go and get him to do it, not a substandard local one just because of where I am. If you want the best you have to find the best.

Capello's track record is immense, I think we have a real chance with him. From what I know he does it his way, which is exactly what is needed in our country. Once you start trying to please others it goes to pot. I dont care about the money as most footballers thses days earn obscene wages; why bother?

As far as the manager being the most important member of a team; there is no black and white answer. He is a vital cog, just like the rest. He has to have some modicum of importance as whenever results go t!ts up he's the first to go, not the players.

[philipl]

gumboots ... well Wayne Bridge should be inelligible by dint of being rubbish. Expect a wave of flag waving angst when Almunia gets his first England cap.

Very happy with this appointment. Particularly because...

- given the FA shirked Mourinho who probably knew too much about them all and produced a plan far too visionary and commonsensical to be "safe", the FA haven't gone down the circus to find the next England manager this time.

- Capello has said all along he wants the job without playing any outward games which I think counts for a lot; which home nations prospective-manager has equally been so straightforward and consistant about wanting the job?

- Bringing the four assistants in gives Capello a much more solid phalanx to work with and handle the FA's politicing and media intrusion than SGE ever had. Good move.

- England can learn to win from master winners- not just Capello's track record as a Manager but Italians are used to regular World Cup victories even if (as with the current holders) they win without having the most outstanding team in the competition.

[blue phil]

Who cares whether we have a foreign or English coach ? Capello can only do the best with the tools at his disposal ....and tools are what many of the present bunch of ponces are . Our problems are at the grass roots .

Where the FA is still failing after all these decades and all the countless millions spent is at the school level . Today's appointment just papers over the cracks ......again .

Barwick and co should sit down with the government's sport minister and sort out guidelines to ensure that kids at school and at clubs learn to control the ball before they start playing any game with more than 10 players on the pitch . If that means they never experience an 11 a side game before the age of 18 then that would be a good thing . Trophies and competitions should be banned ; everything should be aimed at getting kids to be at ease with the ball and to enjoy having the ball at their feet .

Only when we have a far greater pool of players capable of playing at the highest level will we ever have a good chance to win the world cup . The only other way is to hope that 4 or 5 good players emerge at the same time with a half decent manager and remain uninjured during competitions .

[colin]

Bit of a non starter really.

Steve Coppull reckons that the England team should have an English manager.

OK Steve:

(1) Are you from Reading?

(2) How many of your first team squad were born in Reading.

And just to go closer to home

Mark:

(1) Are you from Blackburn?

(2) How many of your first team squad are from Blackburn?

Then just extrapolate that to the rest of the premiership & Championship & League 1 & 2.

Fat Sam & 'Arry are experts at introducing foreign players when thay need them, complete borax that that should have some opinion as to who is the England manager.

[RevidgeBlue]

Capello's CV is certainly impressive and we'll have to wait and see whether or not his methods and style of management translate successfully to the English game.

Most commentators seem to think he is an exponent of effective if fairly unexciting football which if it comes to fruition should be an improvement on Sven under whom the fare was both as dull as ditchwater AND lacking when push came to shove.

Most encouragingly, and in complete contrast to Sven, all pundits say to a man that Capello is definitely not very likeable from the players point of view. I heard one commentator say he would not hesitate to upset and/or sacrifice big names in order to mould a successful TEAM and style of play. Another former colleague of his stated that for example it wouldn't even enter Capello's head to give Beckham his hundredth cap in the forthcoming friendly in February, because Beckham won't be part of the 2010 World Cup squad.

That's extremely harsh, I can't stand Beckham particularly, but even I'd give him ten minutes to complete his century before firing him off completely.

Sounds very promising from that angle though.

[thenodrog]

That's extremely harsh, I can't stand Beckham particularly, but even I'd give him ten minutes to complete his century before firing him off completely.

Maybe thats why you are not a top manager Rev.

[thenodrog]

Barwick and co should sit down with the government's sport minister and sort out guidelines to ensure that kids at school and at clubs learn to control the ball before they start playing any game with more than 10 players on the pitch . If that means they never experience an 11 a side game before the age of 18 then that would be a good thing . Trophies and competitions should be banned ; everything should be aimed at getting kids to be at ease with the ball and to enjoy having the ball at their feet .

Only when we have a far greater pool of players capable of playing at the highest level will we ever have a good chance to win the world cup . The only other way is to hope that 4 or 5 good players emerge at the same time with a half decent manager and remain uninjured during competitions .

No chance of that scenario working imo Phil. Competition is a motivator.

[cletus]

Capello is 10 times more capable than any English manager at the moment.

I applaud the FA for getting a born winner. Only Mourinho or O`Neill would`ve been my choices ahead of him.

Unfortunately, he`ll have his work cut out, because England only really have 1 world class player (Gerrard)....the rest are average overpaid, over-rated prima-donnas.

[herbergeehh]

Surely to God we don't need to be paying Capello 6 million a year. Why on earth would he want so much - probably more than he's ever been paid before - for a job which is less demanding on his time than any he's done before? Nobody else was reported to be in for him. I'm sure we're just paying him more than we needed to.

I have trouble getting this post. First of all, why would he want so much? I'll let you figure that out for yourself. A job less demanding on his time than any he's done before? Do you really think managing England is easier than club football? Maybe in terms of day to day work, but the stress levels - even against managing clubs like Roma or Real Madrid - are huge. Nobody else was reported to be in for him? Doesn't matter, Fabio Capello would get a job in one of the top ten clubs in Europe if he wanted to - just look at his results, and reputation worldwide. I have no clue whether Capello wanted the job badly or not, but he would either way be an expansive man to hire, and do you really care where The FA's money go anyway??

"If you´re looking for Capello's human side, you will struggle, because he has none." - Italian journalist some time ago..

Capello is a winner. He doesn't play all-out-attacking football, but he will win you matches I'm sure. Solid up that defence and trust your attacking players to create something on the break - the players are good enough to be top six in the world if everyone's fit and ready.

As for the nationality, I can see where you guys are coming from. It's a matter of how much you want success though, I can't see one English manager at the moment who can take your team to a World Cup Final. Partly because of the players to choose from, partly because of the enormous pressure from the media and partly because this manager (in my opinion) would need to make some really drastic change. For Capello it's probably fitting the team into 4-4-2 with two mainly defensive midfielders. Will he split up Gerrard / Lampard? Will Lampard fit into this midfield role, since he probably will be the one kept in the centre of the two? Will he drop Ferdinand? (legendary comment by the way! I guess he's used to having Aldair in there;) )

It's a big challenge, and it's not getting any easier for Capello by him being Italian. The manager is clearly good enough though, it' up to the players now..

[USABlue]

I am both happy and sad at this appointment, happy that I think the FA have hired a winner sad that we could not, or do not have, found an Englishman for the job. Poor do's we no longer have anyone we consider doing the top footy job in England.

It's all going a bit downhill really, no decent keepers, no decent bosses. I just hope Capello sorts out the big time charlies and my percieved view that England duty is not much more than a Butlins holiday for footballers. I hope he can instill some passion back in the team, drop the underperforming "superstars" and replace them with some vibrant young players. Who knows perhaps this is a great thing for Bents, clean slate and all. One benefit I see here, I don't see the media pressure picking his team for him.

[thenodrog]

It's a big challenge, and it's not getting any easier for Capello by him being Italian. The manager is clearly good enough though, it's up to the players now..

And that sums it up in a nutshell. For some reason the national character of this country produces thick and immature footballers. Compare this to so many of the continentals who appear far more mature and cerebrally gifted. I can already imagine the mobile txts and calls currently going on between the squad and their agents. I would imagine Terry will have been on his phone non stop currying favour and support as he see's the captaincy slipping away. So too the likes of Lampard, Gerrad and Owen. Old Golden Balls Beckham's 100th cap might be so near yet so far away.

Capello will succeed if the players let him and imo that is one big question mark. Its a culture clash, John Charles and Graeme Souness excepted the supremely professional Italian footballers way of life has destroyed many of our Italian exports in the past. So few have been able to handle it and have slunk home with their reputations in tatters.

Capello has his work cut out and it's obvious why he needs his own staff around him to quell the inevitable mutinies that will come.

As a choice of English side kick much has been said of Pearce doing the job. Well he hasn't the skills necessary thats for sure. Whoever gets that task is key, he will need to share the players (and agents) confidences and he will needto speak good Italian for certain..... and that narrows it down tremendously. In fact apart from a certain sweaty ex manager of our aquaintance (who would prob be perfect) the only two that spring to mind are Gazza and Trevor Francis

[thenodrog]

he`ll have his work cut out, because England only really have 1 world class player (Gerrard)....the rest are average overpaid, over-rated prima-donnas.

You are kidding I take it cletus?

No world class player gives possession away to the opposition frequently and Stevie Gerrard is particularly adept at that. The only players that we have approaching world class are Rooney and Joe Cole. Unfortunately neither SGE or Maclaren knew what to do with them. Just like Bobby Robson couldn't find a place for Glenn Hoddle the best English playmaking midfielder in my lifetime so he stuck him out wide on the wing. Just as those two pratts have done with Cole. Good job Zidane wasn't English or he'd have found himself hareing up and down the touchline trying to catch balls aimed from long distance at the corner flag too.

[Eddie]

Right, I'm ready for people to disagree with me as usual, but...

Ferdinand and Terry are world class central defenders.

Ashley Cole is a world class left-back (at least he was before his injuries and for now I will assume that he will get back to his best).

Gerrard, Lampard and probably even Hargreaves are world class central midfielders.

Beckham is (at least for the time being), Joe Cole has the ability to be and probably sneaks in.

Rooney most certainly is and Owen, despite some limitations, has to be simply because of his goalscoring ability.

On top of that you have a host of players who are more than good enough for international play.

The squad is there, if anyone doesn't think so then actually cast your eye over the French squad and ask yourself how many French players would make the England team, particularly the starting line-up.

[broadsword]

Why have you rated Hargreaves below Lampard.

When has Lampard ever performed like a world class player?

[USABlue]

Right, I'm ready for people to disagree with me as usual, but...

Ferdinand and Terry are world class central defenders.

Ashley Cole is a world class left-back (at least he was before his injuries and for now I will assume that he will get back to his best).

Gerrard, Lampard and probably even Hargreaves are world class central midfielders.

Beckham is (at least for the time being), Joe Cole has the ability to be and probably sneaks in.

Rooney most certainly is and Owen, despite some limitations, has to be simply because of his goalscoring ability.

On top of that you have a host of players who are more than good enough for international play.

The squad is there, if anyone doesn't think so then actually cast your eye over the French squad and ask yourself how many French players would make the England team, particularly the starting line-up.

Not really arguing with you but think of it in terms of this, how many of those players would make it into a WorldXI? Rooney on the bench maybe.