England Closes In on Capello for Manager

The BBC and most of the English papers are reporting that Fabio Capello is thisclose to being named England manager and all that stands between Capello taking over is a matter of ironing out some fine print.

So the question that begs asking now that England apparently has its man: What took so long?

Steve McClaren has been gone for close to a month, and it was readily apparent to everyone except Brian Barwick that Jose Mourinho wasn't really interested in the job. So why on Earth did Barwick need to check with his panel of advisers on the qualifications of the candidates? Why did he need to wait for an official proclamation from Mourinho before flying in Capello?

Does Capello feel like he's second choice? Hopefully not. His resume is better than Mourinho's winning seven times in Italy, once in Spain, four Italian Cups, a Champions League and a European Supercup. He says the England job is a dream job, but he doesn't have the support of every Englishman. Some are still hesitant to hire an outsider. From the Telegraph:

LMA chief executive John Barnwell, however, believes that the choice of Capello would show that something is "deeply wrong" with the national game.

"Football is a worldwide game and internationals are about putting the best of your country against the best of another country - that includes players and coaches," he said. If you have to go and hire someone from another country, that devalues what you have done. If we are saying there is no English coach able to do the job then that is an indictment on our game.

"A lot of people in the game are going on about the number of foreign players in the Premier League having an adverse effect on England, and now it's looking as though we are going to appoint a foreign manager. It doesn't make sense."

Also from the Telegraph:

Former AC Milan and England striker Mark Hateley praised Capello but added a warning for England's big names. "Be very worried, be very worried - this man will not suffer fools," Hateley said. "He will drop people. He will bring people in you least expect him to bring in. He's not in this to pick individuals. He'll pick players that will balance up, and that's the problem we've had in the past, the fear of dropping the top stars."

England's Next Manager is?

Martin Samuel of the Times of London is quickly becoming a must-read in my daily Web surfing. His take on the FA's search for an England manager is spot-on, as usual. I'll let Mr. Samuel tell it:

If [FA chief executive Brian] Barwick genuinely needed a third party to tell
him that José Mourinho and Fabio Capello are half-decent managers, he should
not be in the job. If he required an outsider to vouch for Martin O’Neill,
he has not been paying attention. Barwick acknowledges that the
process for selecting the last England head coach was wrong, but has failed to
appreciate that no single procedure will be right every time. The key is to
respond to events. As befits a football job, this is about tactics. Barwick’s are all over the place, like the bloke he appointed to succeed
Sven-Göran Eriksson.

For those of you not paying attention, it's been two weeks since England was eliminated from the Euro 2008, and more than a year since Steve McClaren started sucking as England manager.

England Coach McClaren Fired: End of an Error

Introductions are in in order this morning, as we search through the rubble that is the England national team looking for Steve McClaren's career as manager. Sacked hours after Croatia's devastating 3-2 win at the New Wembley, McClaren is the second casualty of the Euro 2008. The first? Well, that's the summer of 2008, of which, England football fans have been robbed.
Anyway, back to the introductions. Mr. McClaren, allow me to introduce you to Mr. Ryan, Mr. Greg Ryan.
Mr. Ryan, like you Mr. McClaren, was sacked hours after his team was eliminated from a major championship. Greg Ryan? He, of course, is the former manager of the U.S. Women's National team. He, of course, is the man who inexplicably pulled his seasoned starting keeper, the one who had been in goal for many wins in a 50-match unbeaten streak. He, of course, watched his over-managing and poor strategy cost the U.S. women in the World Cup semifinals. As a result, he, of course, watched his career go up in flames.
Mr. McClaren, the irony is thick in the room today. Yes England was devastated by injuries and suspensions, but ultimately, you, Mr. McClaren, like Mr. Ryan, were your own worst enemy. You tinkered in desperation. You pulled Paul Robinson in favor of a green Scott Carson. Less than 10 minutes in, Carson had given up a horror of a goal and the snowball was steaming down the mountainside taking dead aim at England's hopes for qualifying for Euro 2008 and your career.
You also inserted young Gareth Barry in the midfield and Shaun Wright-Phillips in an attacking position. Barry and Frank Lampard had no cohesion and no plan to attack the Croatians. Phillips, well, he's no Beckham. Beckham may be on the downside of his career, but the man understands how to play and can still execute from the wing. In an elimination game, there is no substitute for experience. Right Mr. Ryan? You see Mr. McClaren, Mr. Ryan too learned the hard way.
Down 2-0, Beckham came in and fed Peter Crouch the feed he needed to tie the game and give England hope. Ultimately, you likely got what you deserved. English football, however, did not. The Euro won't be the same next summer; all but one of the powers will be present, and for that, the tournament will be poorer. In the meantime, this should spur England to do the right thing, and hire the right manager, be he foreign or domestic and right this ship in time for South Africa, else we might be having this same conversation again in two years.

Anyone Seen Steve McClaren?

Just call England manager Steve McClaren "Loo" from now on.

McClaren told the English press he was on the pot as Israel closed out its upset win over Russia Saturday, injecting some fresh air into England's hopes for qualifying for Euro 2008. McClaren admitted to a bellyache in the closing minutes while watching the game at a hotel with his three sons. Chip, Ernie and Robbie let out a big cheer as Omer Golan's goal sunk Russia and propped up McClaren's boys.

Maybe McClaren should do likewise tomorrow as his boys battle Croatia, needing only a tie to qualify for the continental championships.

Carson In For England Friendly; What is Future for McClaren, Robinson?

England rejoices. Paul Robinson is out as England goalkeeper--at least for tonight's friendly against Austria, which is four days ahead of a do-or-die Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia. Youngster Scott Carson gets the call and Robinson sits, much to the glee of the fans and pundits who've watched shaky play between the posts from Robinson for months. It's safe to say the McClaren-Robinson connection has made England's posture in Euro 2008 tenuous.

McClaren need look no further than the mess former U.S. women's coach Greg Ryan made at the women's World Cup with his goalkeeping situation to understand how closely tied a coach's tenure his with keeper. Ryan, to review, inexplicably pulled Hope Solo in favor of grandma Brianna Scurry in the World Cup semifinals against Brazil. The result was a 4-0 loss to Brazil, anger and dissension from Solo and ultimately, Ryan sitting on the unemployment line.

England needs a hopeless scenario of help to qualify for the continental championship, and surely McClaren's days are equally as numbered. Bottom line: A coach needs to put his best players on the pitch in order to give them the best chance to win. Paul Robinson is not the best England has, yet McClaren stubbornly sends Robinson out there figuring the odds are with him and things will eventually turn around. Robinson doesn't have the make-up to be a high-profile national team coach. Just ask Tottenham fans. Robinson is signed there through 2012, and for its investment,
Tottenham is mired in 14th place in the Premiership with 11 points and 24 goals against. Only one club has given up more: bottom dweller Derby County with one win and six points. By the way, that's one win fewer than Tottenham.

Is it all Robinson's fault? Of course not. But winning breeds winning, and Robinson obviously doesn't raise his game when conditions are adverse. It will be interesting to see how Carson does tonight. Carson's doing well with Aston Villa, which is on the cusp of a spot in Europe next year. McClaren, however, has put himself in a no-win situation. If Carson does well, the clamoring for him to be in goal against Croatia is going to be deafening. If Carson fails, McClaren is almost forced to go with Robinson--which is likely his plan any way--and another shaky outing not only seals McClaren's fate as England manager, but resigns fans to the fact that the national team won't be involved in the game's second biggest tournament.