Capello'S Future

[Majiball]

Experience tells me to rate every member of the German team maj.

As for Micah Richards? Well imo far too many of Englands players looked overweight and ponderous. He's another. He was a fine prospect when he broke through initially but I think his attitude is very suspect. Would Germany pick him might be a more pertinent question.

It would have carried far more weight if they'd all said it before and in private and not after the event and in public. It means little and makes no difference now.

Foresight is much more valuable than hindsight.

I understand what your saying and Micah isn't perhaps the right choice. But the point is that Englands squad had two glaring gaps. Defensive minded player at right back and a left midfielder. Johnson is practically a winger and Gerrard is wasted on the left and that just made Coles role harder as was Milners by Johnson. Gerrard drifts in and stays forward, so cole has to push on to compensate for the hole created. Upson then has to come across to cover Cole and the gaps get huge between them. Johnson driving forward on the right creates more gaps on that side and when the two are combined, well its game over.

Add in the lack of a permanent sitter and you've got issues that a simple ball and some pace will rip apart.

I think they looked ponderous because they didn't believe in what they were being asked to do.

Your right it should never have been done publicly but the foresight was there. The players let themselves down and the nation by not standing up for what they obviously thought was right. It may have made no difference, but its better to try than to be a sheep.

Governments are NOT allowed to interfere in football matters. That's one of the most important FIFA directives.

Young german players come through cause they cost less than their European counterparts. So German clubs buy a lot of domestic players. That's the opposite in England. Why blame the clubs or think of putting caps when average British players like Kevin Doyle go for 7 million or Fletcher 7.5 million. That's your problem and you cant change it.

Cough, the French, cough.

maybe not directly but if you threaten to withdraw it all?? there are ways and means to influence things

They cost so much because there are so few of them, if the coaching and youth set-ups were sorted there would be more and the prices would come down.

[joey_big_nose]

The German coach comes across as your average arrogant Teuton but he deserves credit for spotting the huge fault lines in the England defence and the weaknesses of Upson and Terry in particular. Capello by contrast appeared to have no plan at all. After an abysmal first half you have have expected England to tighten the defence in the second half but if anything they were worse, sitting deep and inviting the Germans to attack. Capello has shown himself in this World Cup to be arrogant and inflexible and a poor leader of men. If he has any shame he should resign.

Changed your tune a bit Jim.....

Frankly I am not that surprised. England have some great players but little balance, and previously the best part of our team – the defence – has fallen apart over the last six months (Terry’s huge dip of form after the affair scandal, Ferdianand’s injury and Cole getting divorced all seem to have played a part). Our four best attacking players – Rooney, J Cole, Lampard and Gerrard - all like to play in the same area of the pitch so crowd each other. We have no proper left sided player, no decent keeper and no quality striker to partner Rooney. Germany on the other hand might have fewer big names but they were balanced, had width and in Ozil have a superstar in the making, and in Klose and Podolski two other excellent goal threats. We are not as good a team on paper as half a dozen sides at the tournament, including Germany. That has been apparent for months, so I don’t know why all the gnashing of teeth.

However after all that is said Capello did make some pretty big tactical errors. I am massively bemused as to why we did not play the 4231 which served us so well in qualifying. Especially against the Germans who dominated us completely in midfield. And the defensive organisation against Germany was frankly embarrassing of which a certain amount of blame needs to be placed at Capello and his coaching staff’s door.

Lets have a bit of humility. We are a good but not excellent side with quite a few weaknesses. Let’s stop all the Ing-er-land balls, be reasonable about our expectations and look to build the team slowly over time and try and create a unit with a nice mix of young players coming through and experienced heads. Adam Johnson and our own Jones show there are a few coming through with talent (although this seems to be diminishing). Any initiative that the FA can get together to boost those numbers has to be welcomed.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Schweinsteiger was unbelievably good, I think I only saw him misplace a pass twice. Lampard and Barry were completely outclassed in that midfield battle.

[Hughesy]

The world cup has shown a few things -

1. Lampard & Gerrard in the same starting 11 STILL does not work
   
2. Terry still thinks he's the boss
   
3. Glen Johnsen has to be one of the most over-rated players in the league
   
4. Heskey should not have been picked
   
5. Defoe is not international class
   
6. Something isnt right with Rooney - whether its injury or something more
   

[alexanders]

I hate Manchester United more than most and that including Rooney. I have though a lot of respect for him, because I've seen him as a proper player with a die hard attitude. After this WC I am very dissapointed with Wayne Rooney and his attitude. Where did the fight for every ball, running, determination and anger go? He was just a mediocre to bad striker.

I can probably name 20 better strikers than him this World Cup.

I hope he continues to be lazy and arrogant in the coming season as well.

[FourLaneBlue]

Generic term. The point I was making is England have been badly managed - again.

Perhaps donkeys led by a donkey would be more correct.

The whole shambles managed by buffoons at the FA who always put the Premier League before all else.

Capello had a disastrous tournament, that much is clear. It is obvious that the malaise goes far deeper than that.

Even after defeat we have Chris Waddle blathering on about Capello not playing the "England way" or Redknapp on Radio 5 suggesting the failure was Fabio not understanding the "England way". Surely, that is a good thing! The "England way" has got us precisely nothing since the war without home advantage and dodgy refereeing decisions to get us over the line.

Did Germany beat us playing "the German way"? Hell, no. They attacked with pace and got their forwards to run across our defence. This utterly confused our defence and four goals was the result.

The "English way" seems to be the problem. Whatever this country is doing in finding, training and producing talent is not working when the big stage comes around. Get rid of Capello by all means (I couldn't care less tbh) but let's not think just get in a different coach will change everything.

Is there anybody who isn't both biased and English that thinks we are a top team now?

There is a lot of work - and change - to be made. From top to bottom. One semi-final (where we beat just one team - Egypt - within the 90 minutes) outside of England in the 15 tournaments since WWII is pitiful.

[FourLaneBlue]

It also says something when the CL final was between Barcelona - Internazionale and semifinals without English teams.

Inter started with zero Italians didn't they?

...and look how they did this time round!

Your final point...about reducing the number of foreign players and focusing on English talent is a good one. Other nations don't give up on their kids so quickly by signing a cheap import. Perhaps Italy has been as well these last few seasons by looking at Inter.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Press Conference with Capello on now if you want to watch it.

Capello says he would like to stay on and understands there needs to be major changes. Says the FA Chief Exec wants some time to mull over whether he wants Capello to remain manager or not.

[FourLaneBlue]

Capello has shown himself in this World Cup to be arrogant and inflexible and a poor leader of men. If he has any shame he should resign.

In the past you have praised Stevie Mac. Thing is...he couldn't even get the same players to qualify. Yet he didn't resign. Surely he has no shame?

Capello should go as he has obviously lost it. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg as to why England have been a second rank football power for so long. We were even more humiliated in 2007 when Croatia thrashed us twice. When have we ever beaten a top side in the knockout stage at a World Cup except at Wembley?

Never.

[alexanders]

Inter started with zero Italians didn't they?

...and look how they did this time round!

I totally agree with you FLB. The thing about the finals/semifinals being played without english teams was more to highlight the fact the EPL is slowly losing there position as the best league in the world.

Italy is having the same problem as England.

Best players in the league are mostly foreigners, very much highlighted by the fact that Internazionale took the treble.

[FourLaneBlue]

The world cup has shown a few things -

[*]Lampard & Gerrard in the same starting 11 STILL does not work

Lampard and Gerrard in the same midfield four doesn't work. They are, however, two of our best players. So why not have three in the middle with two attacking wide men? Lennon/Walcott (anyone with pace tbh) and Johnson?

Gerrard and Lampard running forward to support Rooney up front. It could work...

Hang on, it did in qualifying, didn't it?

Let's shake up English football from top to bottom. Don't know if Capello is the man to do this or not...who else could we get in? It would cost an absolute fortune to sack him now, anyway.

[LeChuck]

Gerrard and Lampard running forward to support Rooney up front. It could work...

It's amazing he didn't try it.

Not only does it put Lampard and Gerrard in more familiar positions, it puts Rooney in the role where he was world class all season.

[Majiball]

Didn't England in the main play 442 in qualifying?

I was under the impression that Heskey played the majority of games, he most certainly played against croatia in the 5-1 and in the ukraine defeat.

[beerwins]

In a interview with Capello he stated that the players seemed tired physically and mentally for the games that is why they did'nt perform, if he stays I think he certainly needs to work some more on his English. I find it hard to understand his interviews he would be better answering in Italian and then the interpretor giving his version.

Not exactly the best excuse to say the players were tired but then again I dont really know what he could have said apart from the players were crap and I wasnt much better.

[philipl]

By rights, Capello shouldn't have a future.

I was just trying to think what he actually got right this World Cup...

and I was a big fan.

[FourLaneBlue]

Didn't England in the main play 442 in qualifying?

I was under the impression that Heskey played the majority of games, he most certainly played against croatia in the 5-1 and in the ukraine defeat.

I realise that we played with two up front but thought we played both systems. We should be able to switch during games. All good teams can change their system to try to gain an advantage.

Ridiculous we should so rigidly stick to just the one in South Africa when it so blatantly wasn't working.

By rights, Capello shouldn't have a future.

I was just trying to think what he actually got right this World Cup...

and I was a big fan.

I remember we all seemed to think, when he was appointed, that if a serial winner for decades at many clubs like Capello can't do anything with us then we really are screwed...

Just what is it about coaching or playing for England that makes winners into losers?

[Majiball]

I realise that we played with two up front but thought we played both systems. We should be able to switch during games. All good teams can change their system to try to gain an advantage.

Ridiculous we should so rigidly stick to just the one in South Africa when it so blatantly wasn't working.

I remember we all seemed to think, when he was appointed, that if a serial winner for decades at many clubs like Capello can't do anything with us then we really are screwed...

Just what is it about coaching or playing for England that makes winners into losers?

I remember Rooney dropping deep at times, but again its not really his best role.

I do like the suggested christmas tree idea with Rooney as the fairy on top and then Gerrard and Lampard baubling behind him.

Who's for Harry Redknapp, next??

[FourLaneBlue]

Who's for Harry Redknapp, next??

Swapping a Champions League winner with eight major league wins behind for a bloke who beat Cardiff in a FA Cup final and then finishing fourth? All by spending an absolute fortune.

Can't we just give up now?

[Mr. E]

too late for Capello and his "changes". He was paid an astronomical amount of money to get it right for the World Cup, and what did he do? Play the wrong goalkeepers, play Gerrard on the left, play Emile Heskey of all people...I mean it's absurd. No way in a million years should he keep his job after such a failure.

[Majiball]

The players obviously don't like Capello, so you either dump all the players who don't like him or get in a new man.

Personnaly I hated having Vogts in charge of Scotland he my have been a good manager (at some stage) but he wasn't scottish and lacked the passion and drive that comes with it. Personnaly Harry would be a good choice and he as good as said he'd take it if offered on Talkdrivel this morning.

[FourLaneBlue]

Won't getting rid of Capello cost 12 million?

Doubt he is going anywhere unless he resigns.

[Mr. E]

Could Alan Shearer do for England what Maradona has done for Argentina? Hard to say, but it sure can't get any worse.

[Majiball]

Won't getting rid of Capello cost 12 million?

Doubt he is going anywhere unless he resigns.

God knows it will be some silly amount, well done that man at the FA.

But if he has lost the players, what choice do you have?

Redundency and only have a coach (wonder if you could get away with that) or strike a deal with him, since he flopped like a kipper. You have to hope the FA chairman says he has lost faith in Capello, especially if the players have as well.

[DE.]

Can't believe Capello is now coming out and saying the players are mentally and physically tired, using it as an excuse for our shocking performances.

More lying, then, as he had said previously our players were completely fit.

The BBC debunked it pretty quickly by noting that most of the Germans top players have played either the same or more matches than our "top" players.

I genuinely wish Capello or even one of the players would come out and say "we weren't good enough" without all of the bullshit excuses.

Using the qualification group as a point of comparison, as Capello keeps doing, is pointless as well. Can you really judge a formation or indeed a team against the likes of Belarus, Kazahkstan and Andorra? Okay, we played very well against Croatia both times, but we narrowly beat Ukraine in the first match against them and lost our second match against them. The qualifying campaign was obviously a big success, but also the source of a huge amount of false hope. McLaren would have got us out of that group IMO, as would Sven. Capello has to stop with the excuses and just admit he and the team were not good enough and that things need to change. That's it - nothing about qualification, nothing about mental/physical tiredness, nothing about Lampard's goal-that-never-was, nothing about Rooney's non-performance affecting the team, just a simple "sorry, we were not good enough and we let people down". It's still not particularly pacifying but I'd rather hear that than a list of empty excuses that ring hollow even to the most casual fan.

[LeChuck]

Can't believe Capello is now coming out and saying the players are mentally and physically tired, using it as an excuse for our shocking performances.

That's not an excuse at all, disappointed in Fabio as I thought he was an honest sort before now.

Has he answered questions about his weird tactical decisions? I bet we don't see a team in the last eight that play 4-4-2 - even more criminal when our best players are suited to and used to playing differently.

Not to mention bringing on Heskey when we need a goal...