February 08, 2012

Fabio Capello Resigns As England Manager: After publicly criticising The Football Association's decision to strip John Terry of England Captaincy, Capello quit at a meeting with the FA chairman and General Secretary.

posted by Mr Bismarck to soccer at 03:54 PM - 11 comments

After an impressive qualifying campaign and the ensuing hyped expectations, the Rooney ban and the Terry/Capello flap may bring people back to Earth.

posted by sbacharach at 05:09 PM on February 08, 2012

Harry Redknapp would be a great choice. He turned around Tottenham in record time.

posted by rcade at 06:36 PM on February 08, 2012

If Terry would just just have admitted his guilt and resigned the captaincy, Capello wouldn't have had to fall on his sword. I hope John Terry realizes how much he has let down his team — and teammates — over the last few years.

As for Redknapp, I bet Sp*rs will have a great deal to say about his coaching two teams.

posted by scully at 08:59 PM on February 08, 2012

Funny how the meeting was scheduled just after Redknapp walked out of court with his name cleared.

I want to see how Stuart Pearce gets on as caretaker: he's done a pretty decent job with the U-21s, and spends a lot of his time identifying talented young players at academies and lower-league sides who aren't guaranteed places in Premier League squads. He's committed to managing the weird "Team GB" for the Olympics, so he's not going to get the full-time position right now, but I think he's the successor in waiting.

posted by etagloh at 01:45 AM on February 09, 2012

I think I might just switch off from any story between now and June on anything to do with England. Part of me wants to care and be involved, but then I pick up a tabloid newspaper or listen to a phone in show, and... well.

Sometimes I wish I was Danish.

/Harry Redknapp? You really think the FA suits will go with him after the way they treated Terry Venables? Venables was ten times better as a tactician, and managed the last decent England team (Euro 96 in case you were asking).

posted by owlhouse at 05:34 AM on February 09, 2012

Harry Redknapp would be a great choice

Hard to sell players in the transfer market on a national team.

posted by yerfatma at 08:30 AM on February 09, 2012

I suggest they just hire someone who plays FM2012. Can't do much worse than a real manager.

posted by Drood at 04:39 PM on February 09, 2012

As a number of people on the twitters have noted, this Grantland piece on Redknapp by Brian Phillips is completely unpublishable (and possibly unlinkable) under a British masthead, which is a pity, because it includes the phrase 'igneous kludge-monster' to describe another Premier League manager, and I think that deserves a wide readership.

posted by etagloh at 03:48 AM on February 10, 2012

Great piece. Although "False 9s" have been around since Puskas and Hidegkuti.

/I'm a nerdy pedant or a pedanty nerd. You choose.

posted by owlhouse at 04:57 AM on February 10, 2012

" the entire Harry edifice is built on success"

The mirage of success, perhaps? One FA Cup and one InterToto in 29 years is not a heaving trophy cabinet.

I think if the FA are determined to have an English manager then he's the only choice and if they end up with anyone else then they're nailing themselves to the English flag to the detriment of the team. If they'll broaden the sweep from English to British then they could try to grab Moyes from Everton - unlike Harry he won't have to bring 35 coaches with him.

Meanwhile, Guus Hiddink is sitting by his phone. Hiddink has won more as a manager but lost his tax evasion case, so Harry has that over him.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 08:32 AM on February 10, 2012

I still can't imagine a Scot in charge of England. However, it's still way more likely than the reverse.

"I don't hate the English. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, have been colonised by wankers."

posted by owlhouse at 08:13 PM on February 10, 2012

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