Tweet
Fabio Capello England glory will cost FA
I came. I saw. I conquered. The famous words of Julius Caesar can be used to sum up prospective England coach Fabio Capello's managerial CV at club level.
The Italian has had six spells at the helm of four of Europe's biggest clubs and led each to their domestic league title, as well as also winning a European Cup.
Capello started off at AC Milan in 1991 and masterminded them to four Serie A championships in five seasons, which included a 4-0 Champions League final destruction of Barcelona in 1994.
The achievement of then winning La Liga in one season at Real Madrid in 1997 could not stop him being sacked and, after a brief return to AC Milan, he found himself to Roma.
Another Serie A title followed in 2001 before the Old Lady of Juventus beckoned in 2004 and he won back-to-back league championships at the Stadio delle Alpi.
Juventus were later stripped of the second championship in a match-fixing scandal which came to light in the summer of 2006.
The 61-year-old followed that with another single-season stint at the Bernabeu and again won the title, only to be sacked last summer.
Marcello Lippi has been mentioned as a candidate to become England manager but Capello is now the big favourite and he has made no secret of his ambition to take up the job.
Lippi would be my personal choice, but Capello hardly comes in a poor second
Phil McNulty
"Capello has never failed," Gazetta dello Sport football writer Fabio Licari told BBC Sport. "Everywhere he has gone he has won.
"Capello is fantastic and knows football as few people do in the world.
"He is a pundit on Italian television and he always sees the action before it happens."
It is hard to pick holes in Capello's quality and ability or his claim to be appointed, especially considering some of the plaudits that have been sent his way in terms of backing for the post.
Former England managers Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle as well as ex-Chelsea playmaker Gianfranco Zola are notable fans.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also gave a ringing endorsement of Capello, who scored twice against England during his playing career.
"I just feel he's a strong man, a strong character," said Wenger.
Capello had little hesitation dropping Beckham
"He has a clear idea of what he wants. I believe as well he's a strong winner. The guy is convinced of the methods he uses."
So what of his 'strong character' and 'methods'.
On that front, behind the trophies and success, there is a no-nonsense dictatorial approach Capello adopts which it seems can create enemies on the playing front.
Just ask Francesco Totti, Alessandro del Piero and Antonio Cassano.
David Beckham has also felt the wrath of Capello at Real Madrid. He was dropped by him in January 2006 after announcing he would be joining LA Galaxy at the end of that season.
But Capello showed his sense of justice by recalling Beckham, who helped Real Madrid to the La Liga title last season.
Capello's goalkeeper at Juventus, Gianluigi Buffon, called him a "dictator" and Licari added: "For sure, he is strong. It is not as if a player can say 'I will do what I want' as there will be a fight."
In terms of Capello's methods, Licari backs up the view that he preaches the defensive-minded catenaccio approach Italian football built its reputation on.
The quality of the candidate is outstanding - The only problem he could have, I don't know how good his English is
Arsene Wenger on Capello
"In Italian football you learn to defend first," he said. "Remember Capello is the manager who invented Marcel Desailly as the midfielder in front of the defence."
Desailly was in Capello's side when AC Milan dismantled Barcelona in the European Cup final in 1994.
But any hopeful notions that Capello can engineer his teams to play the free-flowing football the purists crave is quickly dismissed by Licari.
"The game against Barcelona is not an example match," he explained. "Capello is defensive-minded."
Licari has little doubt the "wise" Capello will be able to handle the English media but has a slight reservation about how his countryman would adapt to the more stretched nature of international games compared to the flurry of matches at club level.
Wenger has another concern: "The quality of the candidate is outstanding. The only problem he could have, I don't know how good his English is."
But, with Jose Mourinho ruling himself out of the running for the job, Licari ominously said: "If Capello or Lippi cannot get the results for England I do not know who can."
The Italian has had six spells at the helm of four of Europe's biggest clubs and led each to their domestic league title, as well as also winning a European Cup.
Capello started off at AC Milan in 1991 and masterminded them to four Serie A championships in five seasons, which included a 4-0 Champions League final destruction of Barcelona in 1994.
The achievement of then winning La Liga in one season at Real Madrid in 1997 could not stop him being sacked and, after a brief return to AC Milan, he found himself to Roma.
Another Serie A title followed in 2001 before the Old Lady of Juventus beckoned in 2004 and he won back-to-back league championships at the Stadio delle Alpi.
Juventus were later stripped of the second championship in a match-fixing scandal which came to light in the summer of 2006.
The 61-year-old followed that with another single-season stint at the Bernabeu and again won the title, only to be sacked last summer.
Marcello Lippi has been mentioned as a candidate to become England manager but Capello is now the big favourite and he has made no secret of his ambition to take up the job.
Lippi would be my personal choice, but Capello hardly comes in a poor second
Phil McNulty
"Capello has never failed," Gazetta dello Sport football writer Fabio Licari told BBC Sport. "Everywhere he has gone he has won.
"Capello is fantastic and knows football as few people do in the world.
"He is a pundit on Italian television and he always sees the action before it happens."
It is hard to pick holes in Capello's quality and ability or his claim to be appointed, especially considering some of the plaudits that have been sent his way in terms of backing for the post.
Former England managers Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle as well as ex-Chelsea playmaker Gianfranco Zola are notable fans.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also gave a ringing endorsement of Capello, who scored twice against England during his playing career.
"I just feel he's a strong man, a strong character," said Wenger.
Capello had little hesitation dropping Beckham
"He has a clear idea of what he wants. I believe as well he's a strong winner. The guy is convinced of the methods he uses."
So what of his 'strong character' and 'methods'.
On that front, behind the trophies and success, there is a no-nonsense dictatorial approach Capello adopts which it seems can create enemies on the playing front.
Just ask Francesco Totti, Alessandro del Piero and Antonio Cassano.
David Beckham has also felt the wrath of Capello at Real Madrid. He was dropped by him in January 2006 after announcing he would be joining LA Galaxy at the end of that season.
But Capello showed his sense of justice by recalling Beckham, who helped Real Madrid to the La Liga title last season.
Capello's goalkeeper at Juventus, Gianluigi Buffon, called him a "dictator" and Licari added: "For sure, he is strong. It is not as if a player can say 'I will do what I want' as there will be a fight."
In terms of Capello's methods, Licari backs up the view that he preaches the defensive-minded catenaccio approach Italian football built its reputation on.
The quality of the candidate is outstanding - The only problem he could have, I don't know how good his English is
Arsene Wenger on Capello
"In Italian football you learn to defend first," he said. "Remember Capello is the manager who invented Marcel Desailly as the midfielder in front of the defence."
Desailly was in Capello's side when AC Milan dismantled Barcelona in the European Cup final in 1994.
But any hopeful notions that Capello can engineer his teams to play the free-flowing football the purists crave is quickly dismissed by Licari.
"The game against Barcelona is not an example match," he explained. "Capello is defensive-minded."
Licari has little doubt the "wise" Capello will be able to handle the English media but has a slight reservation about how his countryman would adapt to the more stretched nature of international games compared to the flurry of matches at club level.
Wenger has another concern: "The quality of the candidate is outstanding. The only problem he could have, I don't know how good his English is."
But, with Jose Mourinho ruling himself out of the running for the job, Licari ominously said: "If Capello or Lippi cannot get the results for England I do not know who can."
Comment