Capello made to wait over future
Reuters - Monday 28 June 2010, 14:41
RUSTENBURG - England manager Fabio
Capello's future will be decided after the FA has reflected on
their failed World Cup campaign over the next two weeks.
The Italian on Monday repeated his desire to stay in the job
despite England's worst-ever defeat at the finals when they were
knocked out 4-1 by Germany in the last 16 on Sunday.
GEAR: England training range offers
Asked if he wanted to stay on as England manager, the
64-year-old Capello told reporters: "Absolutely. We're going to
wait two more weeks to reflect on everything."
Having spoken to Club England chairman Dave Richards on
Monday morning, Capello was told he would have to be patient for
a decision and said this was "the intelligent solution."
Capello added that he had turned down offers with top
European clubs to stay with England.
Less than a month ago, the FA confirmed he would remain as
coach until after Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine and were
delighted he had committed his future to them after transforming
the side following their failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
England won nine of their 10 World Cup qualifiers to top the
group and played very well in most of them. He has now been in
charge of 28 matches, 19 of which have been won and five lost.
But their performances versus the United States, Algeria and
Slovenia in the group matches in South Africa were poor and
Sunday's display against Germany was an embarrassment for a team
supposedly among the favourites to win the tournament.
TIRED PLAYERS
Capello said he was sorry for England's fans and, in part,
blamed his team's failure on fatigue following a long and
intense Premier League season without a winter break.
"All of the English players arrived really tired at this
competition. I spoke to all our coaches and they all told me
that in their physical and mental situation, they were not like
the players that we know," he told reporters.
Capello conceded his team was not only outplayed by Germany
at Bloemfontein but were outpaced. "They played in seven games
before and in this tournament and we were just not so fast as I
remember. Not so quick," he said.
He put forward two main reasons for England's humbling -
Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda's failure to award a goal when
Frank Lampard's shot crossed the line at 2-1 and appalling
defending that led to two more Germany goals in the second half.
"For that I am very, very angry," said Capello.
The Italian, whose first appearance, and statement, in the
'big top' marquee at their training camp was to announce that
his captain Rio Ferdinand had suffered a serious knee injury,
was this time emphatic that he would not resign his post.
He was repeatedly pressed by reporters to justify his
position and his salary, which British media have reported as
six million pounds ($9.04 million) a year.
But the man who has guided AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and
Juventus to a total of nine league titles remained impassive.
INTELLIGENT SOLUTION
Instead, he revealed that following a morning meeting with
his boss Richards, he and his England employers would spend two
weeks "reflecting on their tournament and their disappointment"
before reaching a decision on the future.
"I think it is the intelligent solution," said a tired and
bewildered-looking Capello. "I am behind this idea 100 percent.
It is an intelligent answer.
"I have received a lot of opportunities to be the manager of
important clubs but I turned them down because I want to stay
here - I like the job and I want to be the England manager."
Capello and the rest of the England party are scheduled to
fly back to London later on Monday, taking an overnight flight
home from Johannesburg.
Amid calls for him to defend his rigid adherence to a 4-4-2
formation, his decisions to leave younger players at home and
his potential to guide England to a brighter future, national
team spokesman Adrian Bevington intervened several times.
"Sir Dave met with Fabio this morning and, to make things
clear, Fabio has a contract until 2012 and the European
Championship," he said. "We know, we are all very disappointed
to be out of the World Cup and in such a disappointing manner.
"But it is just common sense that we go back to London
tonight (Monday) to take stock and reflect, for two weeks, and
then speak to him from there.
"There is nothing sinister in this. It is just a commonsense
approach to avoid any knee-jerk reactions to what happened last
night," he added.
Follow FFT.com on Twitter
Join FFT.com on Facebook