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12-13-2007, 10:39 AM
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Fabio Capello looks poised to become England's new coach after "extremely positive" talks with the FA in London.
Fabio Capello appears on the brink of being named England's new coach after "extremely positive" talks with Football Association hierarchy in London on Wednesday.
talian Capello, 61, arrived for discussions with the FA's chief executive Brian Barwick after being identified as first choice to succeed sacked Steve McClaren.
They were spotted at the new Wembley stadium before Capello returned to Heathrow and flew home.
"I can confirm that Brian Barwick and Sir Trevor Brooking have today held talks with Fabio Capello in London," Adrian Bevington, the FA's director of communications, confirmed in a statement issued to PA Sport.
"I am pleased to say that these discussions were extremely positive and without any problems. Fabio Capello has now returned to Italy to honour a commitment.
"Understandably further talks are now taking place between Fabio Capello's advisors and ourselves."
Capello will reportedly name former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola as his assistant -- with the FA hoping to finalize an appointment this week.
And current Chelsea and England player Frank Lampard welcomed the prospect of Capello taking charge after hot favorite Jose Mourinho, who left Stamford Bridge in September after guiding the Blues to two Premier League titles, told the FA on Monday that he was ruling himself out.
"Fabio Capello has shown what he can do by winning titles at all levels of football and would be a very good choice," England midfielder Lampard said.
"He has proved himself a winner with success everywhere he's been. I honestly don't know who is going to be the new England manager but Capello is certainly the kind of personality that would be good for England."
Capello has won a major league championship in 9 of his 16 seasons, having coached Juventus and Roma as well as Milan and Real.
He has had well-publicized rows with top players such as Francesco Totti and Alessandero del Piero, while he also dropped David Beckham when the England midfielder agreed a deal with LA Galaxy.
Capello later claimed that he was forced to do so by the Real board and brought back Beckham due to an injury crisis -- and the former Manchester United star's resurgence in form helped win the Spanish title.
If Capello gets the job, one of his first decisions as England coach will be to decide whether or not to award Beckham his 100th England cap in February's friendly against Switzerland.
Other leading candidates are reported to be Marcello Lippi, who led Italy to its World Cup win last year and won five Serie A titles with Juventus; Martin O'Neill, Aston Villa's former Northern Ireland international; and Juergen Klinsmann, who guided Germany to the semifinal of World Cup 2006.
But Ruud Gullit and Clarence Seedorf believe that their former boss Capello is the right man to turn around England's ailing national side.
Gullit played for the 61-year-old when AC Milan dominated Italian football in the early 1990s, winning five Serie A titles in six years and and also claiming the European Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona in the 1994 final.
Los Angeles Galaxy manager Gullit said that Capello would employ a no-nonsense approach -- which won his the Spanish league title with Real Madrid last season but also saw him sacked due to criticism of the team's style.
"He doesn't play for the beauty of the game, but to win," the Dutchman said.
"You don't see him laughing much - he's moody. But he knows what he wants. You have to go his way or you will get in trouble. He screams at you.
"You need to be well drilled to play for him -- very disciplined -- and you certainly don't fool around with him, that's for sure.
"Italians are all about looking good, defending your reputation. When you've got that you become very hard to beat. If you become that clinical, you don't even have to play well to win - that's how come they have won so many championships."
Gullit's compatriot, AC Milan midfielder Seedorf, played under Capello at Real when the Madrid side won the Spanish league title in 1997.
He added: "He's a tough guy, very straight. He's very dedicated.
"Of course it has been quite a while since I worked with him in Madrid, but I think he has much more experience now than 10 years ago. He was then already one of the best coaches I've ever had.
"I was talking with him only two weeks ago about this possibility and I know he sees it as a very interesting challenge.
England has quality players but results haven't really shown everybody the potential of the team. He knows that and it's a challenge for him, to go where the results are lacking and make those great players a good team.
"One of his best qualities is getting the very best out of each player, even if he is not playing well. He is very specific in what he wants and very clear on what he wants from each player and sometimes he will push you to your limits.
"He has always asked 100% of the players once you are on the field. He is very straight, very clear with the players.
"He would rather have less quality but committed players than quality players who are not committed. He has been experienced in working with great players and still being able to get the best out of them."
CNN
Fabio Capello looks poised to become England's new coach after "extremely positive" talks with the FA in London.
Fabio Capello appears on the brink of being named England's new coach after "extremely positive" talks with Football Association hierarchy in London on Wednesday.
talian Capello, 61, arrived for discussions with the FA's chief executive Brian Barwick after being identified as first choice to succeed sacked Steve McClaren.
They were spotted at the new Wembley stadium before Capello returned to Heathrow and flew home.
"I can confirm that Brian Barwick and Sir Trevor Brooking have today held talks with Fabio Capello in London," Adrian Bevington, the FA's director of communications, confirmed in a statement issued to PA Sport.
"I am pleased to say that these discussions were extremely positive and without any problems. Fabio Capello has now returned to Italy to honour a commitment.
"Understandably further talks are now taking place between Fabio Capello's advisors and ourselves."
Capello will reportedly name former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola as his assistant -- with the FA hoping to finalize an appointment this week.
And current Chelsea and England player Frank Lampard welcomed the prospect of Capello taking charge after hot favorite Jose Mourinho, who left Stamford Bridge in September after guiding the Blues to two Premier League titles, told the FA on Monday that he was ruling himself out.
"Fabio Capello has shown what he can do by winning titles at all levels of football and would be a very good choice," England midfielder Lampard said.
"He has proved himself a winner with success everywhere he's been. I honestly don't know who is going to be the new England manager but Capello is certainly the kind of personality that would be good for England."
Capello has won a major league championship in 9 of his 16 seasons, having coached Juventus and Roma as well as Milan and Real.
He has had well-publicized rows with top players such as Francesco Totti and Alessandero del Piero, while he also dropped David Beckham when the England midfielder agreed a deal with LA Galaxy.
Capello later claimed that he was forced to do so by the Real board and brought back Beckham due to an injury crisis -- and the former Manchester United star's resurgence in form helped win the Spanish title.
If Capello gets the job, one of his first decisions as England coach will be to decide whether or not to award Beckham his 100th England cap in February's friendly against Switzerland.
Other leading candidates are reported to be Marcello Lippi, who led Italy to its World Cup win last year and won five Serie A titles with Juventus; Martin O'Neill, Aston Villa's former Northern Ireland international; and Juergen Klinsmann, who guided Germany to the semifinal of World Cup 2006.
But Ruud Gullit and Clarence Seedorf believe that their former boss Capello is the right man to turn around England's ailing national side.
Gullit played for the 61-year-old when AC Milan dominated Italian football in the early 1990s, winning five Serie A titles in six years and and also claiming the European Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona in the 1994 final.
Los Angeles Galaxy manager Gullit said that Capello would employ a no-nonsense approach -- which won his the Spanish league title with Real Madrid last season but also saw him sacked due to criticism of the team's style.
"He doesn't play for the beauty of the game, but to win," the Dutchman said.
"You don't see him laughing much - he's moody. But he knows what he wants. You have to go his way or you will get in trouble. He screams at you.
"You need to be well drilled to play for him -- very disciplined -- and you certainly don't fool around with him, that's for sure.
"Italians are all about looking good, defending your reputation. When you've got that you become very hard to beat. If you become that clinical, you don't even have to play well to win - that's how come they have won so many championships."
Gullit's compatriot, AC Milan midfielder Seedorf, played under Capello at Real when the Madrid side won the Spanish league title in 1997.
He added: "He's a tough guy, very straight. He's very dedicated.
"Of course it has been quite a while since I worked with him in Madrid, but I think he has much more experience now than 10 years ago. He was then already one of the best coaches I've ever had.
"I was talking with him only two weeks ago about this possibility and I know he sees it as a very interesting challenge.
England has quality players but results haven't really shown everybody the potential of the team. He knows that and it's a challenge for him, to go where the results are lacking and make those great players a good team.
"One of his best qualities is getting the very best out of each player, even if he is not playing well. He is very specific in what he wants and very clear on what he wants from each player and sometimes he will push you to your limits.
"He has always asked 100% of the players once you are on the field. He is very straight, very clear with the players.
"He would rather have less quality but committed players than quality players who are not committed. He has been experienced in working with great players and still being able to get the best out of them."
CNN