Where to even start? I refer of course to the in some ways shocking but in other ways really quite understandable and can't-believe-I-didn't-see-it-coming news, that Fabio Capello has resigned as England manager with immediate effect.
This leaves the England team without a manager, without a captain, and with a friendly to play in a few weeks followed by the far more significant European Championship, looming large in the not-too distant future.
Before I get into it I just want to indulge in a quick rant...why oh why can England never go into a tournament without some bloody crisis or another?! Why can it never be harmonious, why must we always contrive to make things as difficult as possible? I despair at the state of our national team, I really do. Desperate. Now, having got that out of my system (with nary an f or c bomb in sight, miraculously) lets settle down and pick the bones out of it.
First off, I can fully understand Fabio Capello. It has seemed for quite some time that he has not really been having the time of his life in this position - adapting to the conditions that are part and parcel of the job (we'll come to that later). At 65 and with a hugely successful career to reflect on it surprises me not a jot that he has finally decided that he can do without this actually, thanks very much. The straw that broke the Postman's back is the decision by his bosses to remove the captaincy from John Terry, seemingly without informing the manager. The FA are in charge and it is, I suppose, their prerogative to act as they did. The decision to omit Capello from any decision making - even as a courtesy - is staggeringly poor stakeholder management, and seems to suggest a somewhat dysfunctional working relationship already. Fair play to Fabio for thinking screw this, I don't need this and walking away from what would have been a lucrative next few months.
Will we miss him? Certain areas of the media would have you believe that he is some bumbling buffoon, unable to learn our language and stuck in a disciplinary mindset so out of touch with modern football that it may as well be thrown out and ridiculed. OK.
66% win ratio. Two flawless qualifying campaigns. A squad that, at least initially, started to act as professionals, showing the respect and discipline that their role deserves (lest we forget, Schteve 'You can't rush these things guysch' McClown had been running the show like a youth club..."JT, Stevie G' shudder) An approach based on possession football, a passing game that requires patience, technique and ability. An approach exemplified by Spain, World and European champions, so probably an approach that can work. Damn straight we'll miss him.
Many can point to the utter disaster that was World Cup 2010. Christ knows I agree on that front, it was dismal and painful for all of us. Some of Capello's failings in that instance I would dismiss - 'we were bored' 'training all the time' well sorry lads but this is the most important football tournament in the world and you are here to work, not to sightsee. Get on with it. However I must concede that during that tournament my faith in our manager wavered - the infuriating persistence with the tried-and-failed Gerrard/Lampard combination; the lopsided shape of the team and the lack of the creativity that Joe Cole sat on the bench could surely have provided - all of these things are failings for which I hold Capello responsible.
I say failings. Not quite the complete and utter slapstick farce that was the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign now was it? I really think people are too quick to forget just how bad things were for England when Capello took over.
Take over he did, but he has had enough, so we have to consider who is up next.
You may have ascertained over your time reading this blog, that I have a certain dislike of one Harry Redknapp. To my horror, it seems that I am in the minority with this opinion. Friend of the media (gets pissed with them, always talks shit to give them soundbites, toes the good old days line, handy with a brown paper bag (allegedly)) Redknapp is being championed from all corners as the certainty for the next manager. Jesus wept. It does my head in that Redknapp is so highly regarded, he led Portsmouth into administration albeit buying a cheat and in my eyes invalid FA Cup on the way, he got Southampton relegated: he really and truly is not that good. He has no range to this tactics, he has one plan and that is apparently to make players feel good about themselves. He is not able to react to situations in a game, he has no concept of...oh screw it , d'you know what I can't even be bothered. He's a fucking idiot and if that's the manager we want, that's the manager we bloody well deserve. A Super Soaraway Sun Ingerlund No Surrender Passion manager.
It's like swapping Xabi Alonso for Lee Cattermole. Gianfranco Zola for Grant Holt. Paolo Maldini for Francis Benali (no offence Franny, I love you)
For those of us who really love football, and consider it something worthy of study, eager to gain insight, learn about different playing styles, ponder on how tactical decisions can influence a game and marvel at the impact that a simple move from a visionary manager can have; this is going to be forgettable.
On the other hand, consider the players in the team. Not many students of the game there, are there? Maybe this is the perfect fit, a match made in heaven, and the one which will spur the England team on to finally achieve synergy rather than the usual ability to turn gold into lead that happens when our superstar players come together as a team. Why bother giving our players an art collector when they'd much rather have Delboy?
Furthermore, the conditions that I alluded to earlier which have so often crucified our managers are in his favour. Namely, the FA and the media. The FA can easily go to Harry and offer him the job safe in the knowledge that it seems public opinion is behind them, plus he has the right passport (for those that consider that to be a necessity). The media absolutely and maddeningly love him too and will surely give him an easier ride for the best part until/unless things turn sour.
If Redknapp does succeed, it's going to kill me.
I love England, and I always will. I hate him, and I always will. When he took us down, not one single iota of my being wanted us to be relegated to spite him - but I know that if we had stayed up, I would not have deified him either. It may be the same for England - of course I don't want us to fail, and even if we did the media's darling would get away blame free anyway (all Fabio's fault) - but if we succeed I will resent the credit that goes his way.
This is all based on the assumption that he does take the job - with Spurs in such a strong position and with a seemingly bright future, who knows what will happen. I can't see any other scenario though, and you know what? I'm gutted.
No comments:
Post a Comment